Mstislav Rostropovich Quotes

I played with the best
conductors of the world.

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 together
with the soul of the composer, and with
God.

The war years were the most difficult time of my life. There was real famine in Moscow. The water froze inside the houses. There was no heat.

There is too much emphasis on technical perfection nowadays, and not enough on what music is actually about - irony, joy, human suffering, love.

I listened to Pablo Casals, which was a big change for me. Without hearing Casals, I would never have advanced as I did.

When I started learning the cello, I fell in love with the instrument because it seemed like a voice - my voice.

I know that after my letter there will be undoubtedly an 'opinion' about me, but I am not afraid of it. I openly say what I think. Talent, of which we are proud, must not be submitted to the assaults of the past.

Of course, I know everything that happens in Russia. But even at the most dangerous moment or the most negative moment now, it's still 10 times better than what it was in the communist state.

I like coming to the United States because the United States played an important role in my life.

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

All my life I wanted to play music with love to every member of the audience.

You know creators, composers, need a palette for life, a color for life.

I have a very deep religious belief.

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

I came to Moscow when I was 5 years old from Baku. To walk all night in Moscow will bring back my youth to me.

My mother carried me for 10 months. I asked her 'Mother, you had an extra month, why you didn't make me a beautiful face?' and mother told me, 'My son, I was busy making your beautiful hands and heart.'

It is my aim, my destination in life to make the cello as beloved an instrument as the violin and piano.

Music is part of history, and our history has lessons that cannot be separated from our greatest music.

People are craving this great progress in electronics, going after computers, the Internet, etc. It's a giant progress technologically. But they must have a balance of soul, a balance for human beauty. That means art has an important role.

You must play for the love of music. Perfect technique is not as important as making music from the heart.