Oscar Levant

"A psychiatrist once diagnosed my troubles as “an abdication of will.”"

"I heartily approve of her campaign to beautify America. It would be greatly improved if the First Family were kept out of sight."

"It certainly will be if you are still around."

"Zsa Zsa Gabor not only worships at The Golden Calf, she insists on barbecuing it for lunch."

"I am no more humble than my talents require."

"I have given up reading books; I find it takes my mind off myself."

"Tell me, George, if you had it to do all over, would you fall in love with yourself again?"

"This piano plays. Which is more than I can say for her."

"He never asks the orchestra to do anything which contradicts the players feeling of what the music signifies or what the printed notes of the score actually mean in plain musical language. To his credit he does not pretend to omniscience. When a certain progression of programs with the Philharmonic decreed that he conduct the Brahms Fourth Symphony two seasons ago, he disavowed intensive rehearsals with the simple statement to the orchestra: "Gentlemen, you know the work better than I do." Both the compliment and the attitude endeared themselves so much to the orchestra that they literally forgot themselves in a mass effort to justify his statement—and, as one of those who heard the performance, I can testify that they delivered one of the most powerful and integrated interpretations of the score that New York has experienced in years."

"A symphonic conductor should reconcile himself to the realization that, regardless of his approach or temperament, the eventual result is the same — the orchestra will hate him."

"There is a thin line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line."

"I have seizures of momentary sanity."