I feel so entirely in my element with a full orchestra; even if my mortal enemies were marshalled before me, I could lead them, master them, surround them, or repulse them.

An evil fate has deprived me of the full use of my right hand, so that I am not able to play my compositions as I feel them. The trouble with my hand is that certain fingers have become so weak, probably through writing and playing too much at one time, that I can hardly use them.

My heart pounds sickeningly and I turn pale... I often feel as if I were dead... I seem to be losing my mind.

Sometimes I feel as if sections of my ballets were done for me - that I didn't do them myself.

I feel upsettingly de-natured. If Penelope Cruz were one of my nurses, I wouldn't even notice.

My symphonies would have reached Opus 100 if I had but written them down... Sometimes I am so full of music, and so overflowing with melody, that I find it simply impossible to write down anything.