“The real geniuses know where their writing has to be good and where they can get away with some mediocrity.”

—  Dmitri Shostakovich

In conversation with Isaac Glikman, July 4, 1966; Josiah Fisk & Jeff Nichols (eds.) Composers on Music (1997) p. 355.

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Dmitri Shostakovich photo
Dmitri Shostakovich 32
Russian composer and pianist 1906–1975

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