A Positive and Encouraging Quote by Gregor Piatigorsky from “Hitler’s Emigres and Exiles in Southern California: A Windfall of Musicians” by Dorothy Lamb Crawford 8/9/11

August 9, 2011

I have been reading a book ” “Hitler’s Emigres and Exiles in Southern California: A Windfall of Musicians” by Dorothy Lamb Crawford, and found a wonderful quote from a great cellist, Piatigorsky. This is from P. 64 to P. 65 in this book.

-You don’t have to be a genius to know your shortcomings, because there are so many of them. But you have to be a mighty intelligent person to know your strong points. That is your obligation to know what is good. And if possible to enjoy. And everything that you don’t like, to convert into something that is likable. That is the only way I know. Otherwise you will live in the negative all your life. You can’t live in that, you can’t prosper in it… I never met a really, truly conceited musician. Because they know what they don’t know – especially before the concert… Music remains above you: you are just striving to reach it. And the better you become at it, the music moves higher, so it becomes unreachable. –

Growing up in the family with blaming and criticizing manner I am easily too negative about me. It is a great quote for me, especially as a performer myself. So this book led me to read the book “The Great Cellists” by Margaret Campbell to learn about Piatigorsky more, and I am reading his autobiography. I understand there will be a big cello conference next spring in LA under the name of Piatigorsky. I am looking forward to attending seminars to learn about Piatigorsky’s pedagogical method and personality.