Rachmaninoff unveiled his First Symphony in 1897, at 24, and it was so savaged by critics that he withdrew it and could not compose anything for three years.
He was 31, and though he had not composed anything since enlisting at the outbreak of war in 1914, he was already regarded as one of the outstanding young talents in British music.
He had not composed anything of note for years, so when he received an invitation to create a concert for the benefit of prisoners in various jails and of Mercer's Hospital in Dublin, he jumped at the chance and dashed off "Messiah" in 21 days.
On the third day, I worked it around a bit more, and suddenly the whole company was asking, 'Say, what is that you're playing?' " Arlen added, "I didn't know; I wasn't composing anything, I was just improvising naturally".
He still hasn't composed anything more bracingly soulful than "Sunflowers," which ended the evening in a jubilant state.
As the lesser-known band member — and the only one who didn't compose anything in the set — Mr. Gambale didn't grapple for the spotlight.
By 16 I was ready to compose but my work was so mediocre and derivative in the face of the masterpieces I was working with that I stopped and didn't compose anything for 25 years".
It may, paradoxically, be important for them not to compose anything too celebratory about their host city.
Things like the Platonic forms are eternal, and they're eternal, changeless, and indestructible, because they are simple — simple here being the metaphysical notion that they're not composed of anything.
Roethlisberger — who is 6 feet 5 inches, 234 pounds and just 27 years old — was not asked to compose anything.
For the English speeches, the students were not able to compose anything that could truly be regarded as a refutation.
