“I think I should have no other mortal wants, if I could always have plenty of music. It seems to infuse strength into my limbs, and ideas into my brain. Life seems to go on without effort, when I am filled with music.”

“Sometimes when I am alone in my beautiful apartments, brooding over these things and nursing my loneliness, I say to myself: "There are cases when success is a tragedy." There are moments when I regret my whole career, when my very success seems to be a mistake. I think that I was born for a life of intellectual interest. I was certainly brought up for one. The day when that accident turned my mind from college to business seems to be the most unfortunate day in my life. I think that I should be much happier as a scientist or writer, perhaps. I should then be in my natural element, and if I were doomed to loneliness I should have comforts to which I am now a stranger. That's the way I feel every time I pass the abandoned old building of the City College. The business world contains plenty of successful men who have no brains. Why, then, should I ascribe my triumph to special ability?”

Abraham Cahan book The Rise of David Levinsky

“Music is my life, if I am without music or if I can't sing any more, I die, I'm nothing…because music is everything.”

Ayumi Hamasaki (1978) Japanese recording artist, lyricist, model, and actress

“Life without playing music is inconceivable for me. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music, I get most joy in life out of music.”

Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born physicist and founder of the theory of relativity

“I think a life in music is a life beautifully spent and this is what I have devoted my life to.”

Luciano Pavarotti (1935–2007) Italian operatic tenor

“I think that my music is very unique and connects both worlds. That's the reason why I named my album Come Closer. I believe in cultural sharing, in the idea of we-belong-altogether. In my opinion, music should have no borders and we should all try to come closer.”

Tarkan (1972) Turkish singer

“When I am designing, I make a selection of music that will be the inspiration behind the whole collection… I will be blasting that music—it becomes a journey I take in my brain to transfer that sound to the clothing.”

Anna Sui (1964) American fashion designer

“If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music. … I cannot tell if I would have done any creative work of importance in music, but I do know that I get most joy in life out of my violin.”

Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born physicist and founder of the theory of relativity

“I thought my life would seem more interesting with a musical score and a laugh track.”

Bill Watterson (1958) American comic artist

“I go into solitude so as not to drink out of everybody's cistern. When I am among the many I live as the many do, and I do not think I really think. After a time it always seems as if they want to banish my self from myself and rob me of my soul.”

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German philosopher, poet, composer, cultural critic, and classical philologist