I have a case where it seems that whether the value for the template attribute in the apex:composition tag is a literal or expression determines whether dynamic elements get rendered or not. 

My controller looks like this:

public class SimpleController {


    public Component.Apex.OutputText dynamictest {get; set;} 
    
    public PageReference pageRef {get; set;} 
    
    public SimpleController(){
        this.pageRef = Page.SimpleComposition;
        this.dynamictest = new Component.Apex.OutputText();
        this.dynamictest.value = 'This is the dynamic output text';        
    }
    

}

My page looks like this:

<apex:page controller="SimpleController">
    <apex:composition template="{!pageRef}" />
</apex:page>

 My template looks like this:

<apex:page controller="SimpleController">
            This is a simple composition<br />
            <apex:dynamicComponent componentValue="{!dynamictest}" rendered="true"/>
</apex:page>

 I expect that when I go to the page I will get:

This is a simple composition
This is the dynamic output text

what I acutally get is:

This is a simple composition

If I change the experession for template to a literal like this:

<apex:composition template="SimpleComposition" />

 Then I get the expected result, so it seems that dynamic components behave differently in compositions based on whether or not the template is referenced in the tag with an expression or a literal. On the surface it would seem that this should not be the case. Is there any explenation as to why this would be?

 I opened a case in the partner portal but they've made a change and only give developer support to paying partners now :o( . They directed me here. Hopefully someone can help me :)