Igor Stravinsky

Conductors' careers are made for the most part with 'Romantic' music. 'Classic' music eliminates the conductor; we do not remember him in it.

A composer is or isn't; he cannot learn to acquire the gift that makes him one, and whether he has it or not, in either case, he will not need anything I can tell him now.

What gives the artist real prestige is his imitators.

Art is the opposite of chaos. Art is organized chaos.

In composing this music [Petrushka], I had a clear vision of a puppet, suddenly brought to life, and who also tries the patience of the orchestra with cascades of diabolical arpeggios.

I received two letters from him. I wrote him October 25 in New York and asked him for word of his arrival plans in Hollywood. I expected a telegram from him announcing the hour of his airplane. On November 9 the telegram came. It said he was dead. All I could do was cry.