[On the music of Richard Strauss:] Too many notes!

Words created divergencies between beings, because their precise meanings put an opinion around the idea. Music only retains the highest and purest substance of the idea, since it has the privilege of expressing all, whilst excluding nothing.

Loving a child doesn't mean giving in to all his whims; to love him is to bring out the best in him, to teach him to love what is difficult.

There is nothing boring in life except ourselves.

Do not take up music unless you would rather die than not do so.

I've been a woman for a little over 50 years and have gotten over my initial astonishment. As for conducting an orchestra, that's a job where I don't think sex plays much part.

It is one thing to be gifted and quite another thing to be worthy of one's own gift.