Of all composers, past and present, I am the least learned. I mean that in all seriousness, and by learning I do not mean knowledge of music.

I have striven for perfection, it has always eluded me, but I surely had an obligation to make one more try.

To copy the truth can be a good thing, but to invent the truth is better, much better.

I adore art...when I am alone with my notes, my heart pounds and the tears stream from my eyes, and my emotion and my joys are too much to bear.

It is better to invert reality than to copy it.

It may be a good thing to copy reality; but to invent reality is much, much better.

The artist must yield himself to his own inspiraton, and if he has a true talent, no one knows and feels better than he what suits him.

Stupid criticism and still more stupid praise.

The success of our operas rests most of the time in the hands of the conductor. This person is as necessary as a tenor or a prima donna.

Oh blessed a thousand times the peasant who is born, eats and dies without anybody bothering about his affairs.

Through care taken over trends, the desire to be novel and affectation knowledge, we repudiate our art, our instinct, our own way of doing things; it is absurd and stupid

Meditation takes you out of your mind and possibly into the future, negative thoughts are quicksands that keeps you glued to your past.

Theory regards this opening as incorrect, but it is impossible to agree with this. Out of the five tournament games played by me with the King's Gambit, I have won all five.

If you will lie about the little things, before long you’ll lie about bigger things.

There is nothing particularly scientific about excessive caution. Science thrives on daring generalizations.

She comes from the Midwest. She had me at a very young age and raised me on her own. She's a very hard worker.

Know that there is nothing you can't aspire to do. Take offense. Bide your time. Pick your battles. Take revenge when you can - and never pull the ladder up after you.

Everyone ought to take every opportunity to blast lawyers.

Often in this our life do we begin by cursing men and end by loving them. A sense of the common fallibility of all flesh makes us kin. No man is lovable who is invincible.

Without game, men prey on each other.

Riches do not constitute any claim to distinction. It is only the vulgar who admire riches as riches.