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Is money it?
by Silvia Francesca Maglione
Since always composers have been commissioned wide ranges of pieces to be performed for certain types of audiences. Composers received sometimes vague, and other times precise indications on how to compose a commissioned piece. Usually they would be stressed by imminent deadlines, while other times they would be peculiarly encouraged by them. However, attempting composing as a career (thus as a source of money) usually takes away the composers’ geniality, inspiration and enthusiasm. W.A. Mozart for instance who is considered the paragon of creativity and quintessence of talent produced a notable number of “indifferent” compositions. This is because he was, in a way or the other, forced to write those commissioned pieces. Furthermore, being almost constantly in debt, Mozart had to write music continuously.
Countless composers’ ardour was blunted by the obligation of producing as much as a Cantata per week in J.S. Bach’s case.
On the other hand, there are cases in which deadlines and commissions do not hinder a composer’s genius. The most evident example is given by Johann Sebastian Bach who produced a group of incomparably superlative masterpieces of Music, under commission. He composed the six Brandenburg Concertos for the Prussian Prince Margrave Christian Ludwig of Brandenburg-Schwedt. His famous Orchestral and Cello Suites, as well as his Partitas for Solo Violin were commissioned to him by the Calvinist Prince Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen while he served as his Kapellmeister.
Therefore money appears to be the limitation and motivation of composers. Once again the truth lies within one’s own passion.
The views and opinions in this blog post are those of its author.
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