Janet Baker

“It's all about the music. For me, the music is the most important thing.”

“The real work is done in the practice room.”

“When you go out on that stage, you're on your own.”

“Singing is a way of releasing an emotion that you sometimes can't portray when you're acting.”

“The human voice is the most beautiful instrument of all, but it is the most difficult to play.”

“An artist's life is a very lonely one. The cheers of the crowd die away very quickly.”

“The interpretation of a piece of music is a very personal thing.”

“If you have a talent, you have a responsibility to that talent.”

“You must have total belief in what you are doing, and you must have the ability to communicate that to an audience.”

“Technique is only a means to an end. It's the servant of the music, not the master.”

“I think the greatest thing an artist can do is to move people.”