Mstislav Rostropovich

“Every man must have the right fearlessly to think independently and express his opinion about what he knows, what he has personally thought about and experienced, and not merely to express with slightly different variations the opinion which has been inculcated in him.”

“Explain to me please why in our literature and art so often people absolutely incompetent in the field have the final word.”

“I would rather have ideas and some difficulties of technique than a perfect technique and no ideas.”

“The artist must forget the audience, forget the critics, forget the technique, forget everything but love for the music.Then, the music speaks through the performance,and the performer and the listener will walk togetherwith the soul of the composer, and withGod.”