It cannot remain unmentioned that so many poorly equipped boys, and boys who have no talent at all for music, have been accepted into the school to date that the quality of music has necessarily declined and deteriorated. And those who do bring a few precepts with them when they come to school are not ready to be used immediately.

I was obliged to be industrious. Whoever is equally industrious will succeed equally well.

My masters are strange folk with very little care for music in them.

The most stupendous miracle in all music.

Bring me coffee before I turn into a goat!

Ceaseless work, analysis, reflection, writing much, endless self-correction, that is my secret.

I worked hard. Anyone who works as hard as I did can achieve the same results.