"To be deprived of art and left alone with philosophy is to be close to Hell."

"I was not especially friendly with Rachmaninov at the time, nor, I think, was any one else: social relations with a man of Rachmaninov's temperament require more perseverance than I can afford: he was…"

"I have learned throughout my life as a composer chiefly through my mistakes and pursuits of false assumptions, not by my exposure to founts of wisdom and knowledge."

"The one true comment on a piece of music is another piece of music."

"I am a very curious man. I always want to learn new things."