BEETHOVEN OUTLINED INCUBATION, IDEATION AND ALSO THE ART OF EDITING AS THE PILLARS OF CREATIVITY



According to Mary Shelley, Invention does not come into existence by creating something out of void and invention exists as a result of chaos surrounding humans. She wrote this in a preface for the book called Frankenstein back in 1831.

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PORTRAIT OF BEETHOVEN
 Then later physicist Freeman Dyson echoed the same thoughts when he said that it is strange the way ideas do come when they are actually needed. 

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He wrote this idea two centuries after during his account for the Flash of Illumination by which the creative breakthroughs do happen and occur. 

There is a necessary period of unconscious incubation before any creative achievement is made. 

About this incubation period, T.S. Elliot wrote and said that we do not know until the shell actually breaks what kind of egg we have actually been sitting on. 

Oliver Sacks said that this is one of the three essential elements of creativity that do exist. 

Ludwing Van Beethoven who lived between   the years 1770 and 1827 was a beautiful articulation of the conscious preparation and also the unconscious incubation of creativity. 

When Johann Aloys who was Beethoven’s junior asked how he managed to produce the creative pieces that he did, the great composer replied  by talking about the art of editing and  also the life-cycle of creativity.

 Beethoven said that giving too much of your art is bad and less is better. He then continued to outline the process of incubation, ideation and also editing by which great works of art are produced. 

He said that he carries his thoughts about with him for a long time before he can actually do set them down.

 He continued by saying that at the same time his memory is very faithful to him  that he is sure not to forget any of the themes that he has ever conceived, even after a period of five years. He said that he does make many changes, rejects and also makes many attempts until he is very satisfied. 

Then he begins working on the length, breadth and also height in his head. Since he is very conscious of what he actually wants the basic idea cannot leave him.

 The idea rises and grows up and he is able to hear and also see the picture as a whole taking shape also standing forth before him as if it was actually cast in a single piece.

 And now all that is left is the work of just writing it down. Beethoven did most of his composing outdoors where he used to jot down ideas that came into his mind and then later went back into his quarters to write them into scores. 

He acknowledged the essential  mystery  that exists at the heart of creative work that no framework, or  discipline or routine would  be able to manufacture.

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