From the glow of enthusiasm I let the melody escape. I pursue it. Breathless I catch up with it. It flies again, it disappears, it plunges into a chaos of diverse emotions. I catch it again, I seize it, I embrace it with delight... I multiply it by modulations, and at last I triumph in the first theme. There is the whole symphony. - Beethoven
I joyfully hasten to meet death. If it come before I have had opportunity to develop all my artistic faculties, it will come, my hard fate notwithstanding, too soon, and I should probably wish it later - yet even then I shall be happy, for will it not deliver me from a state of endless suffering? - Beethoven
It seemed unthinkable for me to leave the world forever before I had produced all that I felt called upon to produce. - Beethoven
Music from my fourth year began to be the first of my youthful occupations. Thus early acquainted with the gracious muse who tuned my soul to pure harmonies, I became fond of her, and, as it often seemed to me, she of me. - Beethoven
Music is the wine which inspires one to new generative processes, and I am Bacchus who presses out this glorious wine for mankind and makes them spiritually drunken. - Beethoven
Never forget the days I spent with you. Continue to be my friend, as you will always find me yours. - Beethoven
Off with you! You're a happy fellow, for you'll give happiness and joy to many other people. There is nothing better or greater than that! - Beethoven
Plaudite, amici, comedia finita est. (Applaud, my friends, the comedy is over.) [Said on his deathbed] - Beethoven
The true artist is not proud: he unfortunately sees that art has no limits; he feels darkly how far he is from the goal, and though he may be admired by others, he is sad not to have reached that point to which his better genius only appears as a distant, guiding sun. - Beethoven
