# Creative processes



## Aurelian (Sep 9, 2011)

Beethoven's creative process, with the sketchbooks and horribly messy manuscripts, is well known. The belief that Mozart planned every note perfectly before writing down the score is not quite accurate. I saw a sheet of manuscript paper of his with an "X" through it. 

My posting regards the other major composers. How would you characterize their respective creative processes? Is somebody known for the messy manuscripts like Beethoven?


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

Ravel would take his time with composing. He was a perfectionist, striving unceasingly towards technical perfection, though certain he would never achieve it, getting closer and closer was his goal. He would try to visualize entire pieces in his head before notating them out, this process could take years:

"_In my own compositions I judge a long period of conscious gestation necessary. During this interval I come progressively, and with growing precision, to see the form and the evolution that the final work will take in its tonality. Thus I can be occupied for several years without writing a single note of the work, after which composition goes relatively quickly. But one must spend much time in eliminating all that could be regarded as superfluous in order to realize as completely as possible the definitive clarity so much desired. The moment arrives when new conceptions must be formulated for the final composition, but they cannot be artificially forced for they come only of their own accord, often deriving their original from some far-off perception and only manifesting themselves after long years_."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Ravel

Though, not known for being messy, he would often destroy his manuscripts and continue to revise them. This painstakingly long process of gestation and revision, resulted in a small yet incredibly high quality creative output.


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