Explain to me, please, why in our literature and art so often people absolutely incompetent in this field have the final word.

Capitalism, communism ... it's all garbage.

The cello is a hero because of its register - its tenor voice. It is a masculine instrument, whereas the violin is feminine because of its soprano pitch. When the cello enters in the Dvorak Concerto, it is like a great orator.

I would rather have ideas and some difficulties of technique than a perfect technique and no ideas.

People are craving this great progress in electronics, going after computers, the Internet, etc. It's a giant progress technologically. But they must have a balance of soul, a balance for human beauty. That means art has an important role.

In 1948 the first severe crash occurred in my life when Stalin put out his decree on formalism. There was a bulletin board in the Moscow Conservatory. They posted the decree, which said Shostakovichs compositions and Prokofievs were no longer to be played.

When I started learning the cello, I fell in love with the instrument because it seemed like a voice - my voice.