"I was not a 'revolutionary' in the sense of a man with a message. The only thing I was aware of was that I was doing my work, and that it was a question of going forward."

"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 spent my life trying to escape the 'isms' of music."

"I am a creature of habit, but I am also a creature of change."

"He was a six and a half foot scowl."