Quotes by Simon Rattle

“If anyone has conducted a Beethoven performance, and then doesnt have to go to an osteopath, then theres something wrong.”

“The situation is catastrophic. I can see the hopeless situation of the city... this cultural dismantling is an incredible shame for Berlin.”

“Culture and, within culture, music are the best and most fascinating thing that the German capital has to offer internationally. It is putting that at risk.”

“Everybody who witnessed the premiere of the dance was deeply moved by the experience and many of them—including myself—had tears in their eyes when we saw the energy and honesty as well as the unbelievable brilliance and discipline of the young dancers.”

One of the most extraordinary and all-encompassing forms of communication is music. It reaches places that all kinds of other things cannot reach. Ill put my cards on the table: I think it is our greatest language.

American economists cant understand the German fear of inflation and the effects of inflation when dealing with the world economic crisis. They wonder why Germany pursues such a different course - Why cant they agree with us? I would have thought it was fairly obvious.