But it is no light matter to quickly and correctly pen a long and complicated composition.
There are many instances of rapid work on the part of the great composers;
and their facility and quickness of composition causes great wonder and admiration. ( ① )
But our admiration is often misdirected. ( ② )
When we hear of some of the speedy writing of great works by Mozart or Mendelssohn, we might think that this speed was of the composing power as well as of pen, but, in fact, such was seldom the case. ( ③ )
These great musicians generally did their composition mentally without reference to pen or piano, and simply postponed the unpleasant manual labor of committing their music to paper until it became absolutely necessary. ( ④ )
Then they got credit for incredible rapidity of composition. ( ⑤ )
One has only to copy a piece of music or to try to put into notes some piece of music previously memorized, to realize this.