"When I was a soloist at a concert conducted by Arturo Toscanini," Gregor Piatigorsky once recalled, "the maestro paced the dressing room in which I practised repeating, 'You are no good; I am no good.' 'Please maestro,' I pleaded, 'I will be a complete wreck.' Then, as we walked on stage he said, 'We are no good, but the others are worse. Come on, caro, let's go.'"