Dmitry Shostakovich (1906–1975)
Shostakovich’s contemporaries do not recall seeing him working, at least not in the traditional sense. The Russian composer was able to conceptualize a new work entirely in his head, and then write it down with extreme rapidity—if uninterrupted, he could average twenty or thirty pages of score a day, making virtually no corrections as he went.
But this feat was apparently preceded by hours or days of mental composition—during which he “appeared to be a man of great inner tensions,” the musicologist Alexei Ikonnikov observed, “with his continually moving, ‘speaking’ hands, which were never at rest.”
Shostakovich himself was afraid that perhaps he worked too fast. “I worry about the lightning speed with which I compose,” he confessed in a letter to a friend. Undoubtedly this is bad. One shouldn’t compose as quickly as I do. Composition is a serious process, and in the words of a ballerina friend of mine, “You can’t keep going at a gallop.” I compose with diabolical speed and can’t stop myself.… It is exhausting, rather unpleasant, and at the end of the day you lack any confidence in the result. But I can’t rid myself of the bad habit.
- From Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey
#dailyrituals #inktober #shostakovich @masoncurrey
Among other things, getting more drawing done and being prolific as fook? Here’s hoping that’s the case this year, today at least has been good for that!
Happy New Year! I am thankful for the time I have, for the people in my life, and what God has done. After a life long struggle with alcoholism, I have been sober for 2 and half years now. God helped my to quit and to be set free from it. There is so much more to life and so much I want to do. I have also struggled with living in the past and regrets, but I have been making progress with being in the moment more and being content. I'm looking forward to today and what this upcoming year brings.
“By all means grow old, but don’t mature. Remain childlike, retain wonder, the ability to be flabbergasted by something.” - Billy Connolly.
Happy new year Doodle addicts!
Last drawing of 2024 and looking forward to 2025!
Did you know 2025 is a rare, "square number year" since 45^2 == 2025. The last time this happened was in 1936 (i.e. 44 x 44 == 1936), and the next time it will happen will be 91 years from now in 2116 (i.e. 46 x 46 == 2116).
This one started off bad and ended good. It was quick sketch that I wasn't really happy with. I decided to keep going and experiment. I was able to let go and draw without thinking and caring as much. I usually struggle with overthinking and perfectionism, so this one felt like a win for me.
