When we think of an operatic masterpiece by the legendary band Queen, we naturally think of Bohemian Rhapsody, it’s easily their most popular song by a long shot. But there’s another breathtaking and frankly underrated song by them that has always inspired me. One of the last songs Queen would ever…
It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice… He sends forth a tiny ripple of hope. And crossing each other from a million different centers of en…
For years I dreamed of having the sort of massive oak slab that would dominate a room. No more child’s desk in a trailer laundry-closet, no more cramped kneehole in a rented house. In 1981 I got the one I wanted and placed it in the middle of a spacious, skylights study. For six years I sat behind…
"The cracked mind lets in light the whole mind cannot see." - R.D. Laing A beautiful dream-like landscape with evocative swirling stars and galaxies, “Starry Night” by Vincent Van Gogh is one of the most famous paintings that ever existed. Even people who are not familiar with the world of art will…
Adapted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1948, the Universal Declaration states basic rights and fundamental freedoms to which all human beings are entitled. We are all born free and equal. Everyone is entitled to these rights, no matter your race, religion or nationality. Everyone…
Life is a game with a glorious prize, only if we can play it right. It is give and take, build and break, and often it ends in a fight. But he surely wins who honestly tries, regardless of wealth and fame. He can never despair who plays it fair. How are you playing the game? Do you wilt and whine,…
People ask me, “What’s the use of climbing Mount Everest?” and my answer must at once be “It is of no use, there is not the slightest prospect of any gain whatsoever.” Oh, we may learn a little about the behavior of the human body at the high altitudes, and possibly medical men may turn our observa…
After the inevitable “How many hours a day do you practice?”, and “Show me your hands” The most common thing people say to me when they hear I’m a pianist is “I used to play the piano as a kid, I really regret giving it up.” I imagine authors have lost count of the number of people who told them th…
“Doublespeak is language designed to evade responsibility, make the unpleasant appear pleasant, the unattractive appear attractive. Basically, it's language that pretends to communicate, but really doesn’t. It’s language that’s designed to mislead, while pretending not to. Doublespeak is not a slip…
The world is like a ride in an amusement park, and when you choose to go on it you think it’s real because that’s how powerful our minds are. And the ride goes up and down, around and around. It has thrills and chills, and it’s very brightly coloured, and it’s very loud, and it’s fun for a while. M…
The real damage is done by those millions who want to ‘survive’. The honest men who just want to be left in peace. Those who don’t want their little lives disturbed by anything bigger than themselves. Those with no sides and no causes. Those who won’t take measure of their own strength, for fear of…
Do not believe those who try to persuade you that composition is only a cold exercise of the intellect. The only music capable of moving and touching us is that which flows from the depths of a composer’s soul when he is stirred by inspiration. There is no doubt that even the greatest musical geniu…