Quotes from Andris Nelsons

Music is something you can't really put in terms like in a sport, like running or football - that you win if you score more. In music, there's nothing like that.

I simply love Wagner's music. That actually started very early. He was the first composer I was exposed very much to because my parents introduced me to Wagner's music very early.

Wagner always opens you a second breath, and then you go on, and you are absolutely into his musical world, and you can't stop, and you can listen for four hours, five hours, six hours, and then you are like in his mystical hands of his music. He's such a great poet of music.

I'm sure the atmosphere at Tanglewood and the space there and nature - I think it absolutely fits Wagner's music.

I think 'Rheingold' has symbolic meaning of what happens in the world when you're running after the Rhine gold, after the gold. It doesn't end very well. It's kind of a reminder of the values of life, and I think 'The Ring,' in a way, is kind of a prediction of Wagner of what would happen in the world.

To play opera, to play Wagner, it's a great joy.

I think it's very important to be part of the Boston society and the people who live in Boston.

I feel too young in 2018 to take over the Berlin Philharmonic as the successor to Simon Rattle.

I see, in this life, the hardship many suffer. I see the joy that music can give. How we deal with all this is part of a preparation for the next life.

I believe we have a physical body and a soul. It doesn't matter what religion you are, whether or not you believe in God. I think people believe that there is a soul and a body.

We can understand each other with music without words - and that's so important in these times when walls are built. In music, there are no walls.

For one person, Haydn is most exciting. Or Bach is the most exciting. For another, it's Carter or Strauss. For me - and for any musician - all of the music is exciting. And if you don't approach it with excitement, we can't be musicians.

When I was younger, I wanted very much to play football.

Every week we have a concert, what we are performing is my favorite music in the world.

It's a dream to be its conductor. Sometimes I think, 'My God, I can't believe it.' It's a dream which came true.

When the oldest surviving record company goes all in on a conductor, everyone notices.

Birmingham did a truly remarkable thing in building Symphony Hall, which is the finest concert hall in the U.K. and one of the best in the world. The city has supported music without putting on the brakes.

I'm very proud of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Music is such an important part of society, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra offers such great quality, and we just want to share it.

You must take care of your family, respect the music, and work intensely. Health and family come first, and then you can make much better music.

I think that, as a person, Beethoven talks to everyone in different ways.

As for my relationship to Beethoven, I admire people who can say what they really think. It's as though he's saying, 'That's how I feel about the world, and I don't care what people may say.' His music is pure and honest. Beethoven never pretends to be anybody else.

I'm thankful to Deutsche Grammophon, our partners - we are going to record the complete Shostakovich symphonies and hopefully some other things as well.

If we want to share the message of the composers, to give good things back to humanity, we have to dig deep while we can.