When you play, do not trouble yourself as to who is listening. Yet always play as though a master listened to you.

My symphonies would have reached Opus 100 if I had but written them down... Sometimes I am so full of music, and so overflowing with melody, that I find it simply impossible to write down anything.

Send light to the dark hearts of men, that is the duty the artist.

The poet sees better than other mortals. I do not see things as they are, but according to my own subjective impression, and this makes life easier and simpler.

I was a God-fearing child, innocent and physically attractive.

An evil fate has deprived me of the full use of my right hand, so that I am not able to play my compositions as I feel them. The trouble with my hand is that certain fingers have become so weak, probably through writing and playing too much at one time, that I can hardly use them.

Perhaps only a Genius can truly understand Genius.