I feel the capacity to care is the thing which gives life its deepest significance.

The simplest things in music are the ones that count. The simplest thing are, of course, also the most difficult to achieve and take years of work.

Music must serve a purpose; it must be a part of something larger than itself, a part of humanity.

The only weapons I ever had were my cello and my baton.

There is no substitute for work; what seems ease of performance comes from the greatest labor.

The most perfect technique is that which is not noticed at all.

I have always regarded manual labour as creative and looked with respect-and, yes, wonder-at people who work with their hands. It seems to me that their creativity is no less than that of a violinist or painter.