Georg Solti quotes

Georg Solti was a Hungarian-born conductor and pianist, celebrated for his dynamic interpretations and leadership of major orchestras. His recordings, especially with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, earned him international acclaim and numerous Grammy Awards. He is remembered as one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century. Here are 19 of his quotes:

Fight the tendency to become complacent and do one kind of music - that is the death of a musician. (Georg Solti)

Everyone says you have to be a specialist, and if you conduct Wagner you cannot conduct Mozart - this is nonsense.

Georg Solti

Between the two men, somewhere, a truth is lying, and that is what I try to find.

Georg Solti

From Toscanini I learnt the essential and desperate seriousness of making music.

Georg Solti

I was born and trained to communicate music, just as the sons were born and trained to hunt, and I was lucky to have grown up in Hungary, a country that lives and breathes music-that has a passionate belief in the power of music as a celebration of life.

Georg Solti

My entire learning process is slow, because I have no visual memory.

Georg Solti

The academy gave me a grounding in discipline and hard work that has sustained me throughout my life, and the lessons I learned there I now try to impress on young people.

Georg Solti

But one day, when I was still young, I was parted from my family and left my native country. I hunted and searched for music, and destiny turned me into the object of my hunt. The circumstances of life became my 'antlers' and prevented me from returning home.

Georg Solti

In my orchestra, I hate slackness, idle talk and lost time. I always hated this and still hate it. But I can achieve much more when I am quiet and not shouting.

Georg Solti

Although both sides of my family were religious, I was never forced to practice the Jewish faith. I did not really rebel against it, but then, as today, I disliked organized religion. I have a strange inhibition about praying with others.

Georg Solti

I wanted to get away from my past and everything connected with it. (Georg Solti)

The experience awakened 'my tremendous musical ambition, which has never subsided to this day.

Georg Solti

During the first six years of my life, Hungary was one of the most important components of the Habsburg dynasty's vast Austro-Hungarian Empire, but after World War I it became an independent national entity.

Georg Solti

Friends are very important to me, and I have always had many of them. There are probably many reasons why this is so, but two seem to me more valid than any of the others I am a naturally friendly person, and I hate to be alone.

Georg Solti

After about six months, I told my mother that I wanted the lessons to stop, and she was intelligent enough not to force me to continue. Besides, the lessons cost money, which was anything but abundant in our household.

Georg Solti

I would never have become music director of the Chicago Symphony, which would have been an extremely sad loss.

Georg Solti

I can only hope that neither of my daughters was scarred by their upbringing.

Georg Solti

The stag tells him that he is the eldest of the sons - the father's favorite - and he warns the father that if he tries to shoot any of the stags, their antlers will tear him to pieces.

Georg Solti

Charlie Rose: What's your favorite symphony in the world now? Sir.

Georg Solti

Georg Solti

Georg Solti - Image

Photo: Allan warren, GFDL

Occupation: Hungarian Musician
Born: October 21, 1912
Died: September 5, 1997
Quotes count: 19
Wikipedia: Georg Solti

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