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

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.

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.

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

Sometimes when it looks like I'm deep in thought I'm just trying not to have a conversation with people.

Every woman was once a little girl with big dreams. Believe in yourself and never quit dreaming!

Artists show us what we blind to.”Baris Gencel

In my opinion eight years as president is enough and sometimes too much for any man to serve in that capacity.

As for me, I am mean: that means that I need the suffering of others to exist. A flame. A flame in their hearts. When I am all alone, I am extinguished.

I don't think anyone would want to come to my gallery show.

One may as well preach a respectable mythology as anything else.

It is not so important to be serious as it is to be serious about the important things.

You wouldn't believe the kind of hate mail I get about my work on irregular verbs.

In education, we are striving not to teach youth to make a living, but to make a life.