The finest singing, given a good voice to begin with, comes from the constant play of a fine mind upon the inner meaning of the music.

The greatest composer does not sit down to work because he is inspired, but becomes inspired because he is working.

The higher the voice the smaller the intellect.

A good composer is slowly discovered and a bad composer is slowly found out.

The great-at-anything do not set to work because they are inspired, but rather become inspired because they are working. They don't waste time waiting for inspiration.

Jazz is not a 'form' but a collection of tags and tricks.

I had no idea Stravinsky disliked Debussy so much as this.

Beethoven, Wagner, Bach, and Mozart settled down day after day to the job in hand. They didn't waste time waiting for inspiration.

You may help a lame dog over a stile but he is still a lame dog on the other side.

For my part, if I had the power I would insist on all oratorios being sung in the costume of the period - with a possible exception in the case of the Creation.

The good composer is slowly discovered the bad composer is slowly found out.

There's more in the earth than anyone knows. We'll find wonders.

I earn my own respect, " I told Emilie. "I don't ride the coattails of someone else.

Practice trust in small matters for huge returns in the large ones.

A people's relationship to their heritage is the same as the relationship of a child to its mother.

I don't want to be able to see the audience

I became friends with a lot of chefs. I was a judge on 'Top Chef' last year. It was a dream come true.

Don't hope for a life without problems. An easy life results in a judgmental and lazy mind.

If you only knew the magnificence of the 3, 6 and 9, then you would have the key to the universe.

I have a knife collection. I have my favourite black knife with me all the time. It's a switchblade. It relaxes me to flick it. I close it and open it.

Am I the only one who secretly hopes that the Curiosity rover will be swallowed up by a giant alien worm living just below Mars's surface?