It's not evil that's ruining the earth, but mediocrity. The crime is not that Nero played while Rome burned, but that he played badly.

To see itself through, music must have idea or magic. ... Music with neither dies young though rich.

There are no fascinating people, only their works are fascinating.

Bel canto is to opera what pole-vaulting is to ballet.

Love is a mystery which, when solved, evaporates. The same holds for music.

Minor artists borrow, great ones steal.

The hardest of all the arts to speak of is music, because music has no meaning to speak of