Music has a lot in com­mon with math­e­mat­ics. But in music, two and two need not make four: they add up to what­ever you wish.

Practice like it means everything in the world to you. Perform like you don't give a damn.

No matter what side of the argument you are on, you always find people on your side that you wish were on the other.

If I don't practice one day, I know it; two days, the critics know it; three days, the public knows it.

There is no top. There are always further heights to reach.

There is no such thing as perfection, there are only standards. And after you have set a standard you learn that it was not high enough. You want to surpass it.

I occasionally play works by contemporary composers and for two reasons. First to discourage the composer from writing any more and secondly to remind myself how much I appreciate Beethoven.

Criticism does not disturb me, for I am my own severest critic. Always in my playing I strive to surpass myself, and it is this constant struggle that makes music fascinating to me.

The discipline of practice every day is essential. When I skip a day, I notice a difference in my playing. After two days, the critics notice, and after three days, so does the audience.

If the Almighty himself played the violin, the credits would still read 'Rubinstein, God, and Piatigorsky', in that order.

Just make it (his obituary): born in Russia, first lesson at 3, debut at 7, debut in America in 1917.

Life is but a day

Do everything in your power to make customers go confidently in the direction of their purchase intention.

I love you. Let's get this over with.

The essence of life is the smile of round female bottoms, under the shadow of cosmic boredom.

Love goes through different stages. But it endures.

We don't believe other people's experiences can tell us all that much about our own. I think this is an illusion of uniqueness.

What we in America call terrorists are really groups of people that reject the international system

Bad leadership during the past years has cast on our Party the shadow of great and grave burdens.

I do think it's important to expose kids to artists.

Be not familiar with the idea of wrong, for sin in fancy mothers many an ugly fact.