Ormandy Quotes

#1. I can see none of you are smugglers; that's why it's so loud.

Eugene Ormandy

#2. The next movement is still in the factory.

Eugene Ormandy

#3. Let's start at 35 because I don't know where it is.

Eugene Ormandy

#4. Did you play? It sounded very good.

Eugene Ormandy

#5. Without him here, it is impossible to know how fast he will play it, approximately.

Eugene Ormandy

#6. That was perfect. It was just the opposite from what I said yesterday.

Eugene Ormandy

#7. Think of your girlfriend or boyfriend or whomever you want to.

Eugene Ormandy

#8. More basses, because you are so far away.

Eugene Ormandy

#9. It is not as difficult as I thought it was, but it is harder than it is.

Eugene Ormandy

#10. Serkin was so sick he almost died for three days.

Eugene Ormandy

#11. Congratulations to each and every one of you for the concert last night in New York and vice versa.

Eugene Ormandy

#12. Muti is going to do the Alpine Symphony this year. He will do it well because it is not very well known.

Eugene Ormandy

#13. I can conduct better than I count.

Eugene Ormandy

#14. Thank you for your cooperation and vice versa.

Eugene Ormandy

#15. There is a number missing. I can see it.

Eugene Ormandy

#16. I was trying to help you, so I was beating wrong.

Eugene Ormandy

#17. I am thinking it right but beating it wrong.

Eugene Ormandy

#18. Death is an awful thing. I don't believe in it myself.

Eugene Ormandy

#19. Beauty is less important than quality.

Eugene Ormandy

#20. The notes are right, but if I listened they would be wrong.

Eugene Ormandy

#21. If you don't have it in your part, leave it out, because there is enough missing already.

Eugene Ormandy

#22. Mahler wrote it as the third movement of his Fourth Symphony. I mean the fourth movement of his First Symphony. We play it third. The trumpet solo will be played by our solo trumpet player. It's named 'Blumine,' which has something to do with flowers.

Eugene Ormandy

#23. It has no rhythm, but it will because it's so much faster.

Eugene Ormandy

#24. Don't ever follow me, because I am difficult.

Eugene Ormandy

#25. Even when you are not playing you are holding me back.

Eugene Ormandy

#26. I don't mean to make you nervous, but unfortunately I have to.

Eugene Ormandy

#27. Bizet was a very young man when he composed this symphony, so play it softly.

Eugene Ormandy

#28. Intonation is important, especially when it is cold.

Eugene Ormandy

#29. Tonight I'm going to listen with my ears.

Eugene Ormandy

#30. I don't get into politics, general or musical, but just call me if you get jury duty. Even in New Jersey I was able to help somebody.

Eugene Ormandy

#31. Write it down in your own handwriting.

Eugene Ormandy

#32. I need one more bass less.

Eugene Ormandy

#33. I conduct faster so you can see my beat.

Eugene Ormandy

#34. At every concert I've sensed a certain insecurity about the tempo. It's clearly marked 80 ... uh, 69.

Eugene Ormandy

#35. Start at B. Yes. No. Yes. No.

Eugene Ormandy

#36. Long note? Yes. Make it seem short.

Eugene Ormandy

#37. Suddenly I was in the right tempo - but it wasn't.

Eugene Ormandy

#38. That's the way Stravinsky was. Bup, bup, bup, bup. The poor guy's dead now. Play it legato.

Eugene Ormandy

#39. Something went wrong. It was correct when I studied it.

Eugene Ormandy

#40. It's difficult to remember when you haven't played it before.

Eugene Ormandy

#41. I know this music from memory, not from the music.

Eugene Ormandy

#42. I'm conducting slowly because I don't know the tempo.

Eugene Ormandy

#43. There is a shadow on every page.

Eugene Ormandy

#44. It's hot as hell as can be.

Eugene Ormandy

#45. I'm one of the boys, no better than the last second violinist. I'm just the lucky one to be standing in the center, telling them how to play.

Eugene Ormandy

#46. Start three bars before something.

Eugene Ormandy

#47. I told him he'd have a heart attack a year ago, but unfortunately he lived a year longer.

Eugene Ormandy

#48. Why do you always insist on playing while I'm trying to conduct?

Eugene Ormandy

#49. That's the way it was every time I studied it.

Eugene Ormandy

#50. There was confusion since I stood here 35 years ago.

Eugene Ormandy

#51. Accelerando means in tempo. Don't rush.

Eugene Ormandy

#52. We can't hear the balance yet because the soloist is still on the airplane.

Eugene Ormandy

#53. Don't think you are looking at me because you are not.

Eugene Ormandy

#54. With us tonight is William Warfield, who is with us tonight. He is a wonderful man, and so is his wife.

Eugene Ormandy

#55. Why do you always start after my beat then rush to catch up? Do you want us to stay behind?

Eugene Ormandy

#56. I cannot give it to you, so try to watch me.

Eugene Ormandy

#57. This is one bar you should take home.

Eugene Ormandy

#58. I wrote it the right way, so it was copied the wrong way right. I mean the right way wrong.

Eugene Ormandy

#59. Watch me closely - only one can spoil it.

Eugene Ormandy

#60. Please follow me because I have to follow him and he isn't here.

Eugene Ormandy

#61. We do not know when he is coming. He is coming tomorrow.

Eugene Ormandy

#62. I never say what I mean, but I always manage to say something similar.

Eugene Ormandy

#63. I always feel I do it too slow, but then others do it faster.

Eugene Ormandy

#64. He was listening so I don't remember.

Eugene Ormandy

#65. It's so legato it's difficult to splice. Sibelius was famous for that.

Eugene Ormandy

#66. Let me explain what I do here. I don't want to confuse you any more than absolutely necessary.

Eugene Ormandy

#67. After two minutes after this time, and I am already there.

Eugene Ormandy

#68. It is not together, but the ensemble is perfect.

Eugene Ormandy

#69. Someone came too sooner.

Eugene Ormandy

#70. We have to play it longer because there are no numbers or letters.

Eugene Ormandy

#71. It's all very well to have principles, but when it comes to money you have to be flexible.

Eugene Ormandy

#72. Who is sitting in that empty chair?

Eugene Ormandy

#73. Brass, stay down all summer.

Eugene Ormandy

#74. During the rests - pray.

Eugene Ormandy

#75. Yes, the mutes are already on. You took them off in the beginning.

Eugene Ormandy