Is pre-composition a waste of time?
A lot of my classmates, when I was in my undergraduate, seemed to dislike the idea of pre-compositional work. After deciding upon an ensemble they would dive straight into writing, no formal scheme in place and no defined thematic ideas upfront. This frequently resulted in backtracking, getting halfway through a movement and realizing that the material now in play was far better than that with which they had begun. (This is also a danger of trying to write from beginning to end of a movement.) More work in the long run, not to mention the frustration, than if they had at least made a few preliminary jottings to keep their bearings. (I can’t be too harsh though, several of my former classmates are far more accomplished composers than I.)
All the great composers started with some form of preliminary work. Even Stravinsky and Schoenberg, for whom composition was clearly not difficult on the whole, spent a lot of time sketching and working over ideas before putting them in shape. Beethoven’s sketchbooks clearly show the care with which he crafted his themes.
I attempt to sketch some every day, it builds character and, if focused, can provide fertile material for later use. More importantly, I now try to plan ahead with all my pieces before diving into the actual writing.
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