The war years were the most difficult time of my life. There was real famine in Moscow. The water froze inside the houses. There was no heat.

In 1948 the first severe crash occurred in my life when Stalin put out his decree on 'formalism.' There was a bulletin board in the Moscow Conservatory. They posted the decree, which said Shostakovich's compositions and Prokofiev's were no longer to be played.

You know creators, composers, need a palette for life, a color for life.

It is my aim, my destination in life to make the cello as beloved an instrument as the violin and piano.

One of the most difficult times in my life was when I escaped from Romania in November of 1989.

During my time I had some very difficult years, and I had very pronounced competition, all by men.