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sir pball

(4,743 posts) Wed Nov 27, 2019, 11:14 PM Nov 2019

"On at least one occasion, Mozart met a deadline by simply not writing down part of the music...

...and improvising it instead while performing before the audience."

He wrote this the night before the premiere, after having been out all night drinking.

5 replies

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"On at least one occasion, Mozart met a deadline by simply not writing down part of the music... (Original Post) sir pball Nov 2019 OP

Hilarious that musicians have to play this note for note, exactly as written, klook Nov 2019 #1

It's no so m7ch tgat what Mozart did was improv, as we know it. pangaia Nov 2019 #2

Legend has it that when Bach got bored, he'd sit down, sir pball Nov 2019 #5

Oh, it wasn't uncommon. sir pball Nov 2019 #4

I heard a story about Mozart . . . Chichiri Nov 2019 #3

klook

(12,157 posts)

1. Hilarious that musicians have to play this note for note, exactly as written,

Reply to sir pball (Original post)

Wed Nov 27, 2019, 11:29 PM

Nov 2019

when a chunk of it was originally improvised!

I’ve read that a number of the great composers were improvisers and wrote down static versions of pieces for the public. Amazing how that’s been flipped on it’s head.

pangaia

(24,324 posts)

2. It's no so m7ch tgat what Mozart did was improv, as we know it.

Reply to klook (Reply #1)

Wed Nov 27, 2019, 11:47 PM

Nov 2019

He was more, "composing" and playing what he composed simultaneously. Bach and other great organists, for example, could create in the moment perfectly functiobal compositions in a given form during a church service.

You will find many fewer sketches and reworkings in Mozart, for examle, than in say Beethoven....

sir pball

(4,743 posts)

5. Legend has it that when Bach got bored, he'd sit down,

Reply to pangaia (Reply #2)

Thu Nov 28, 2019, 10:56 PM

Nov 2019

Improvise a six-voice fugue, then write it down from memory afterwards. Hell of a hobby...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Musical_Offering

sir pball

(4,743 posts)

4. Oh, it wasn't uncommon.

Reply to klook (Reply #1)

Thu Nov 28, 2019, 12:13 AM

Nov 2019

Look at Beethoven vs. Steibelt.

https://historycollection.co/man-thought-beat-beethoven-musical-duel/

Chichiri

(4,667 posts)

3. I heard a story about Mozart . . .

Reply to sir pball (Original post)

Wed Nov 27, 2019, 11:56 PM

Nov 2019

There was a piece of sacred music whose sheet music was kept secret, and which could only ever be performed in the Sistine Chapel. Mozart went and listened to it, went home and wrote down what he heard, went back and listened to it again, went back home and made corrections, and published it. Possibly the first known case of music piracy.

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