Quotes by Eugene Ormandy

• I told him he'd have a heart attack a year ago, but unfortunately he lived a year longer.
• Let me explain what I do here. I don't want to confuse you any more than absolutely necessary.
• Beauty is less important than quality.
• Death is an awful thing. I don't believe in it myself.
• During the rests - pray.
• Even when you are not playing you are holding me back.
• I can conduct better than I count.
• I don't mean to make you nervous, but unfortunately I have to.
• I never say what I mean, but I always manage to say something similar.
• I wrote it the right way, so it was copied the wrong way right. I mean the right way wrong.
• If you don't have it in your part, leave it out, because there is enough missing already.
• It is not as difficult as I thought it was, but it is harder than it is.
• It is not together, but the ensemble is perfect.
• I'm one of the boys, no better than the last second violinist. I'm just the lucky one to be standing in the center, telling them how to play.
• It's hot as hell as can be.
• The notes are right, but if I listened they would be wrong.
• There is a shadow on every page.
• Tonight I'm going to listen with my ears.
• Why do you always insist on playing while I'm trying to conduct?
• With us tonight is William Warfield, who is with us tonight. He is a wonderful man, and so is his wife.
• It's all very well to have principles, but when it comes to money you have to be flexible.