Creative genius in classical music

摘要

This article is about creativity inmusic. And not just any variety –it's about the rarer kind of musicalcreativity that has withstood the test oftime. By that I mean the creation ofcompositions that people are still listeningto – and are profoundly moved by –a century or more after the piece wasfirst written. Although Beethoven's Fifth Symphony was conceived over twohundred years ago, it is still performedand recorded today. Fragments of thesymphony, especially the dee-dee-dee-dahmotif that opens the first movement, haveeven encroached on popular culture. TheFifth can be heard in cinema soundtracks,jazz improvisations, or comedy spoofs.So what does it take to create an immortalmasterpiece?