There is no such thing as perfection, there are only standards. And after you have set a standard you learn that it was not high enough. You want to surpass it.

If the Almighty himself played the violin, the credits would still read 'Rubinstein, God, and Piatigorsky', in that order.

If I don't practice one day, I know it; two days, the critics know it; three days, the public knows it.

I occasionally play works by contemporary composers and for two reasons. First to discourage the composer from writing any more and secondly to remind myself how much I appreciate Beethoven.

Practice like it means everything in the world to you. Perform like you don't give a damn.

Can you appreciate music without playing it? Yes, you can. You can appreciate baseball without playing it. Many people attend a football game merely for the crowd, the excitement, the color.

I have discovered three things which know no geographical borders - classical music, American jazz, and applause as the sign of the public's favor.