What would become of all historical biography if it was written only with consideration for other peoples' feelings?

Without craftsmanship, inspiration is a mere reed shaken in the wind.

One should never forget that by actually perfecting one piece one gains and learns more than by starting or half-finishing a dozen.

The idea comes to me from outside of me - and is like a gift. I then take the idea and make it my own - that is where the skill lies.

Study Bach. There you will find everything.

If there is anyone here whom I have not insulted, I beg his pardon.

Reviewer: 'One of your themes was very similar to one of Beethoven's!' Brahms replied, 'Of course it is. Everyone steals - the important thing is to do it brilliantly.

It is a real pleasure to see music so bright and spontaneous expressed with corresponding ease and grace.

It is not hard to compose, but what is fabulously hard is to leave the superfluous notes under the table.

If we cannot write with the beauty of Mozart, let us at least try to write with his purity.

The only true immortality lies in one's children.

take words and make them useful, ' she told me. 'drain them of all the crappy meanings they used to mean and make them mean something useful instead.

Never worry for fear you have broken a man's heart

She looked at his face and saw a monk and a detective, both beautiful and bizarre.

Gratitude is the language of love.

Health is relative. There is no such thing as an absolute state of health or sickness. Everyone's physical, mental, and emotional condition is a combination of both.

Though friendship is not quick to burn it is explosive stuff.

The truth is that we all are one, that all of us together create god, that god is not man's ancestor, but his descendant.

This is the power of the Goliath, that no one on earth, Clanker or Darwinist, can escape. So we all must learn to share the globe, or perish together!

Professionally I felt like a horse running in the wrong race.

Ukraine must once again be revered and respected by its citizens as well as the East and the West.