"I prefer the song of a thrush to the voice of a soprano."

"I adore art, but I adore it on its own account, and not for the sake of profit."

"I adore art... when I am alone with my notes, my heart pounds and the tears stream from my eyes, and my emotion and my joys are too much to bear."

"I have always been a loner, and I prefer it that way."

"I am old, I am tired, and I am disgusted with the world."