Nothing is better than music; when it takes us out of time, it has done more for us than we have the right to hope for.

A great work is made out of a combination of obedience and liberty.

Life is denied by lack of attention, whether it be to cleaning windows or trying to write a masterpiece.

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.

As far as the execution is concerned ... the most frequent and most serious mistake is to follow the music instead of preceding it.

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.

You should never listen to someone practice. That is their work and theirs alone.