Those who enjoy their own emotionally bad health and who habitually fill their own minds with the rank poisons of suspicion, jealousy and hatred, as a rule take umbrage at those who refuse to do likewise, and they find a perverted relief in trying to denigrate them.

For the shallow delights of matrimony and opera I have no courage.

Without craftsmanship, inspiration is a mere reed shaken in the wind.

It is not hard to compose but it is wonderfully hard to let the superfluous notes fall under the table. . . So many melodies fly about, one must be careful not to tread on them.

A symphony is no joke.

Ah, that tastes nice. Thank you.

If we cannot write with the beauty of Mozart, let us at least try to write with his purity.