[Rubinstein was] a fountain from which music spouted, not a recitalist.

It might be argued that genuine spontaneity is not really possible or desirable so long as printed scores of great works exist. All modern musicians are, for better or worse, prisoners of Gutenberg.

On the subject of wild mushrooms, it is easy to tell who is an expert and who is not: The expert is the one who is still alive.

The human brain can soften as a result of incessant listening to music with an intent to commit prose.

The more disastrous the mishaps the simpler the reviewing task.

Next to the writer of real estate advertisements, the autobiographer is the most suspect of prose artists.

Real folk music long ago went to Nashville and left no known survivors.

The irrepressible spirit that made his playing seem like good conversation is the Rubinstein legacy for pianists, if they can pick up their heads from the keyboard long enough to claim it.

With twice his wits, she had to see things through his eyes -- one of the tragedies of married life.

We must all get our hearts broken sometimes. This is a good sign, having a broken heart. It means we have tried for something

It's not the struggle that makes us artists, but Art that makes us struggle.

Suspicion on one side breeds suspicion on the other, and new weapons beget counter-weapons.

For me, who only desire to become wise, not more learned or eloquent, these logical or Aristotelian dispositions of parts are of no use.

Directing is exhausting, but not for the actual directing part, when you say "Action!" and give creative notes. As a director, the exhausting part is that you are a professional answer-machine.

Default is not in our stars, but in ourselves.

True love does not pay attention to the evil it suffers. It rejoices in doing good.

Few things are as essential as education.

I'll speak in a monstrous little voice.