Leonard Rose Quotations

My father was a tremendous extrovert, always managing to be the center of attention and the life of the party. Mom was just the opposite - quiet, suffering, and neurotic as Hell. Quite a combination, those two. Dad was a terrific ham and Mom was very introverted, and basically sad and self-conscious.

She said go ahead, I handled the house before while you was gone, I guess I can do it again.

Playing to me, in those years, sounded like a house on fire.

Walter Grossman was a very handsome and interesting man, and in those years a vital and strong influence in my life. He gave me much love and affection, and shortly after my first months of cello lessons, he was very encouraging. I remember him telling my father that some day my name would be up in lights.

First was the establishment of a curved thumb on the bow, for without the thumb being capable of flexing, the bow arm must be faulty. Second, was a good left hand setting on the fingerboard in the lower positions. Third, were the early scales, exercises, and finger independence studies.

You played very well but I would like you to take the Fourth Sonata of Beethoven and figure it out for yourself.

I'm somewhat sorry that I did not stay with Frank longer because he really gave me a first class beginning of technique on the instrument.

Performers should realize they not only have to prepare themselves for concert purposes as far as memorizing their programs goes, but for the business of just walking out before the people …. It is important to play before an imaginary audience too. Before I play in public I very often play a program three or four times as though I were seated before a actual audience.