Lee Hoiby was born in 1926. He is an American classical pianist and composer, probably most famous for his song "The Serpent." I found the following quote from him, courtesy his Wikipedia entry, and it's thought-provoking. He compares composing to archeology, stating:
"For me, composing music bears some likeness to archeology. It requires patient digging, searching for the treasure; the ability to distinguish between a treasure and the rock next to it and recognizing when you're digging in the wrong place. The archeologist takes a soft brush and brushes away a half-teaspoon at a time. Musically, that would be a few notes, or a chord. Sometimes the brushing reveals an especially lovely thing, buried there for so long."
I wonder, though. Isn't that being a little too careful? I understand his point of view, but it's okay to be messy when you are being creative. In the end, I think the composer does have to reign in his messiness and give shape and form to his ideas.
It reminds me a little of sculpture. With marble, you chip away until the form is revealed. With clay, you add and shape until the piece is finished.
Which kind of composer are you?
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