Genius

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A central trait of genius is prolific output. It is rare for a genius in music not to have created well over 100 compositions. Even composers who died young, such as Mozart and Franz Schubert, usually meet this mark. Schubert lived less than 32 years but still put out more than 900 compositions (even if two-thirds of these were songs). As a result, a relatively small number of composers dominate the classical repertoire. In fact, only a little more than a dozen composers are responsible for about half of the compositions regularly performed and recorded. This elite group represents the bona fide geniuses. To be sure, “one-hit wonders” also appear. An example is Johann Pachelbel, whose current reputation is almost entirely based on his popular Canon in D. Yet, even he can be credited with hundreds of compositions. Moreover, the majority of composers have at best contributed only one work to the standard performance repertoire. These creators might be considered borderline geniuses.

Besides prolific output, music genius exhibits creative precocity and longevity. Precocity means that the genius begins creating at a very young age, most often in the early to middle 20s. Exceptions to this expectation do happen, as in the case of the symphonist Anton Bruckner, who did not start making enduring contributions to the repertoire until he was in his late 40s. Yet instances of late bloomers among geniuses are rare.

Longevity indicates that the genius continues producing notable compositions until late in life, most commonly into the 50s or later. Elliott Carter, who lived to be 103, continued to compose right up to the end of his life. Of course, the age at their last major work will depend on the creator's life span. Giovanni Battista Pergolesi could not write anything notable after his famous Stabat Mater because he died in the same year of its composition, at the age of 26. Interestingly, many great composers create a “swan song” shortly before their deaths. These last artistic testaments can even appear when the composer dies young so long as the end can be foreseen. For example, Schubert's great lied Der Hirt auf dem Felsen (The Shepherd on the Rock) was composed during his final months, when he was only 31 years old.

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