Composing a Symphony

Tchaikovsky's simile of the creative process is my favorite thus far. I'll take a few seconds to describe this. He says "the germ of future composition comes suddenly and unexpectedly. If the soil is ready...it takes root with extraodrinary force and rapidity shoots up through the earth... and, finally, blossoms." He goes on to say "The great difficulty is that the germ must appear at a favorable moment."

To describe the process itself, he says he gets an immeasurable sense of bliss when he gets a new idea, forgets everything and behaves like a madman, thoughts flow incredibly fast, until interrupted by something. Then it can be difficult to regain this creative flow.

As an art student (in high school) I can identify with this process completely. Like I said, it's my favorite description I've heard.

Lastly, I have to point out the ironicness of the fact that he said, "To you, and you alone, I gladly describe all the details of the creative process...." When there are so many who have read this.