"What was evident was that Mozart was simply written down music already finished in his head. And music, finished as no music is ever finished. Displace one note and there would be diminishment. Displace one phrase and the structure would fall. I was staring through the cage of those meticulous ink strokes at an absolute beauty."

“He brought to the classical symphony not only depths of expression but the idea that the musical phrase is inextricably bound up with the particular colouration of the instrument that plays it.”

“Lengthy immersion in the works of other composers can tire. The music of Mozart does not tire, and this is one of its miracles.”

“Melody is the essence of music. I compare a good melodist to a fine racer, and counterpointists to hack post-horses; therefore be advised, let well alone and remember the old Italian proverb: Chi sa più, meno sa—Who knows most, knows least.”

“Pascal and Felix Mendelssohn were prodigiously precocious. But when each died before reaching age forty, each was physiologically an old man. Not so with Mozart – from him could have been extrapolated as much again in the future as had generously erupted in the past.”

“Livepictures from Mozart Birthhous in Salzburg”

“As I love Mannheim, Mannheim loves me.”