Silence is very important. The silence between the notes are as important as the notes themselves.

One must not make oneself cheap here - that is a cardinal point - or else one is done. Whoever is most impertinent has the best chance.

Creativity is the firing of my soul.

Now there is music from which a man can learn something.

I pay no attention whatever to anybody's praise or blame. I simply follow my own feelings.

My fatherland has always the first claim on me.

Melody is the essence of music.