Quotes by Ludwig van Beethoven

Nothing is more intolerable than to have admit to yourself your own errors.

If once he has got the right fingering, plays in good time, with the notes fairly correct, then only pull him up about the rendering; and when he has arrived at that stage, don’t let him stop for the sake of small faults, but point them out to him when he has played the piece through. . . I have always adopted this plan; it soon forms musicians which, after all, is one of the first aims of art and it gives less trouble both to master and pupil.

Plaudite, amici, comedia finita est.(Applaud, my friends, the comedy is

Applaud my friends, the comedy is over...[on his death bed]

Whoever tells a lie is not pure of heart, and such a person can not cook a clean soup.

I like your opera - I think I will set it to music

Beethoven can write music thank God - but he can do nothing else on earth.

One must not hold ones self so divine as to be unwilling occasionally to make improvements in ones creations.

This is the mark of a really admirable man: steadfastness in the face of trouble.

I joyfully hasten to meet death. If it come before I have had opportunity to develop all my artistic faculties, it will come, my hard fate notwithstanding, too soon, and I should probably wish it later - yet even then I shall be happy, for will it not deliver me from a state of endless suffering?

Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy.

Music should strike fire from the heart of man, and bring tears from the eyes of woman.

Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life.

Tones sound, and roar and storm about me until I have set them down in notes.

Music comes to me more readily than words.

Beethoven can write music, thank God, but he can do nothing else on earth.

Music is the wine which inspires one to new generative processes, and I am Bacchus who presses out this glorious wine for mankind and makes them spiritually drunken.

Off with you! Youre a happy fellow, for youll give happiness and joy to many other people. There is nothing better or greater than that!

Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.

Dont only practice your art, but force your way into its secrets; art deserves that, for it and knowledge can raise man to the Divine.