My mother carried me for 10 months. I asked her 'Mother, you had an extra month, why you didn't make me a… — Mstislav Rostropovich Copy Share Image
I came to Moscow when I was 5 years old from Baku. To walk all night in Moscow will bring back my… — Mstislav Rostropovich Copy Share Image
If I make a speech, I need a translator. But music does not need a translation. People understand me through the sound.… — Mstislav Rostropovich Copy Share Image
I know that after my letter there will be undoubtedly an 'opinion' about me, but I am not afraid of it. I… — Mstislav Rostropovich Copy Share Image
I listened to Pablo Casals, which was a big change for me. Without hearing Casals, I would never have advanced as I… — Mstislav Rostropovich Copy Share Image
Every man must have the right fearlessly to think independently and express his opinion about what he knows, what he has personally thought about… — Mstislav Rostropovich Copy Share Image
Now I come to 75 years of age, I think what's most important in life is your conscience. If you told a lie and… — Mstislav Rostropovich Copy Share Image
You must play for the love of music. Perfect technique is not as important as making music from the heart. — Mstislav Rostropovich Copy Share Image
It is my aim, my destination in life to make the cello as beloved an instrument as the violin and piano. — Mstislav Rostropovich Copy Share Image
All my life I wanted to play music with love to every member of the audience. — Mstislav Rostropovich Copy Share Image
The war years were the most difficult time of my life. There was real famine in Moscow. The water froze inside the houses. There… — Mstislav Rostropovich Copy Share Image
You know creators, composers, need a palette for life, a color for life. — Mstislav Rostropovich Copy Share Image
In 1948 the first severe crash occurred in my life when Stalin put out his decree on 'formalism.' There was a bulletin board in… — Mstislav Rostropovich Copy Share Image
There is too much emphasis on technical perfection nowadays, and not enough on what music is actually about - irony, joy, human suffering, love. — Mstislav Rostropovich Copy Share Image
Now I want to use money in a good way. I make foundations back home in Russia, I have sponsored vaccinations for more than… — Mstislav Rostropovich Copy Share Image
