Do nothing for effect. Do it for truth.

To study music, we must learn the rules. To create music, we must break them.

The essential conditions of everything you do must be choice, love, passion.

Life is denied by lack of attention, whether it be to cleaning windows or trying to write a masterpiece.

It is nothing to succeed if one has not taken great trouble, and it is nothing to fail if one has done the best one could.

Loving a child doesn't mean giving in to all his whims; to love him is to bring out the best in him, to teach him to love what is difficult.

The art of music is so deep and profound that to approach it very seriously only is not enough. One must approach music with a serious rigor and, at the same time, with a great, affectionate joy.

Do not take up music unless you would rather die than not do so.

Without discipline, there can be no freedom.

Nothing is better than music; when it takes us out of time, it has done more for us than we have the right to hope for.

False notes can be forgiven, false music cannot.

Whenever you make up your mind to go into solitude, you must decide first of all what you want to go and do there.

A man can be short and dumpy and getting bald but if he has fire women will like him.

I'm not very good at creating worlds. I prefer to write about the world as it is.

The fact that there was no catastrophic pandemic in recent history does not mean there won't be another one. And we are certainly not prepared for the next pandemic.

What is a habit? It’s just a shackle for ourselves.

It's easier to criticize somebody else, than to see yourself.

What is the pattern that connects the crab to the lobster and the primrose to the orchid, and all of them to me, and me to you?

And would'st thou evil for his good repay?

If only, if only, the moon speaks no reply; Reflecting the sun and all that's gone by. Be strong my weary wolf, turn around boldly. Fly high, my baby bird, My angel, my only

There is no evil that does not offer inducements. Vices tempt you by the rewards which they offer.