{"id":80803,"date":"2021-12-01T09:04:57","date_gmt":"2021-12-01T17:04:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.allclassical.org\/?p=80803"},"modified":"2025-12-03T14:40:46","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T22:40:46","slug":"procrastinating-composers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.allclassical.org\/procrastinating-composers\/","title":{"rendered":"Last-Minute Masterpieces of Procrastinating Composers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Are you reading this article in order to avoid whatever you were supposed<\/em> to be doing? If so, then great news: you’re not alone in your procrastination! In fact, your dilly-dallying habits are shared with several brilliant artists of classical music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here, we’ll explore a few wonderful pieces, the genius composers behind the scenes, and the habit that makes us all human.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Don Giovanni, or “Up-Until-Dawn” Giovanni?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Mozart’s wife, Constanze, who may have rescued Don Giovanni. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Don Giovanni<\/em> is often considered one of Mozart\u2019s greatest achievements, as well as the hymn of procrastination. Written as a two-act opera, it premiered on October 29, 1787, in Prague \u2013 fourteen days after it was supposed<\/em> to premiere for the visit of Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But despite Mozart receiving those extra fourteen days to make last-minute edits and twiddle his thumbs, he didn’t compose the score until the morning before production. A popular story claims that during the eve of the premier, Mozart was chatting and enjoying beverages with his wife Constanze. Afterward, he fell asleep, and Constanze kindly woke him up at five o’clock in the morning to finish the overture. When the opera was finally performed, the ink on the sheet music of the overture was wet, still drying from last-minute copying. Musicians sight-read their parts without rehearsal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even with the lack of previous practice, the premiere was well-received. The Provincialnachrichten of Vienna<\/em> reported that \u201cMozart conducted in person\u2026\u201d and that he was \u201c\u2026welcomed joyously and jubilantly by the numerous gathering.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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