»Melodie gleichbedeutend mit Musik, ist das Fundament der gesamten Musik, da eine vollkommene Melodie ihre harmonische Formgebung schon in sich trägt und zum Leben erweckt.«
»Poetry inspires me much. Of all the arts I love poetry the best after music. […] Poetry inspires music – for there is so much music in poetry. They are like twin sisters.«
»In the enjoyment of music human hearts play a more important part than human brains.«
»Music is enough for a lifetime – but a lifetime is not enough for music.«
»What is Music!? How can one define it?
Music is a calm moonlit night, a rustling of summer foliage.
Music is the distant peal of bells at eventide!
Music is born only in the heart, and it appeals only to the heart; it is Love!
The sister of Music is Poesy and its mother is Sorrow!«
»A composer’s music should express the country of his birth, his love affairs, his religion, the books which have influenced him, the pictures he loves… My music is the product of my temperament, and so it is Russian music.«
»Music must first and foremost be loved, it must come from the heart and it must be directed to the heart. Otherwise it cannot hope to be lasting, indestructible art.«
»I compose music because I must give expression to my feelings, just as I talk because I must give utterance to my thoughts.«