lenin’s famous remarks to gorky about beethoven’s appassionata sonata (piano sonata no. 23 in f minor, op. 57.
I can’t listen to music too often. It affects your nerves, makes you want to say stupid, nice things, and stroke the heads of people who could create such beauty in this vile hell. And now you mustn’t stroke any one’s head—you might get your hand bitten off.
— Vladimir Lenin to Maxim Gorky