I Would Rather Have Ideas And Some

The Cello Is A Hero Because Of Its Register - Its Tenor Voice. It Is A Masculine Instrument, Whereas The Violin Is Feminine Because Of Its Soprano Pitch. When The Cello Enters In The Dvorak Concerto, It Is Like A Great Orator.

You Must Play For The Love Of Music. Perfect Technique Is Not As Important As Making Music From The Heart.

In 1948 The First Severe Crash Occurred In My Life When Stalin Put Out His Decree On Formalism. There Was A Bulletin Board In The Moscow Conservatory. They Posted The Decree, Which Said Shostakovichs Compositions And Prokofievs Were No Longer To Be Played.

I Played With The Best Conductors Of The World.

I Would Rather Have Ideas And Some Difficulties Of Technique Than A Perfect Technique And No Ideas.