Two years of close association with some of the best (as well as some of the worst) tunes in the world was a better musical education than any amount of sonatas and fugues.

Wagner used to read the libretti of his operas to his friends; I am glad I was not there.

Music is the reaching out towards the utmost realities by means of ordered sound.

Beethoven was ahead of the times, Bach behind them.

Two years of close association with some of the best (as well as some of the worst) tunes in the world was a better musical education than any amount of sonatas and fugues.

There is no reason why an atheist could not write a good Mass.

I suppose it never occurs to these people that a man might just want to write a piece of music.