Face The Music, Clive

As I began to read Amsterdam, I was thoroughly enjoyed by all the allusions to music, mostly because in Lehman's terms, I am a piano nerd.  I thought this Clive guy sounded pretty cool, I mean writing a symphony is a pretty big deal, and he seemed to understand the nuances that create a masterpiece.  As the pages wore on, I found my inclination towards liking Clive slowly slipping away.  Then, I began to compare him to one of my favorite composers, Ludwig Van Beethoven.  Beethoven is the epitome of a tortured artist; he never found love, he lost all his money taking care of his sick brother, and routinely became seriously ill himself.  I've always had a soft spot in my heart for Beethoven, as he finished his career still composing and conducting his symphonies--almost completely deaf.  Also, I like him because he provides a stark contrast to the weak character of Clive.  Clive stresses over one symphony, while Beethoven composed nine.  Also, Clive is very high maintenance and must have the perfect setting to compose his music.  He becomes annoyed at a woman who makes noise as she struggles for her life.  Beethoven would never had complained over such a trivial diversion from his concentration (although, depending on how old he was, he probably would not have heard this woman).  Although Beethoven sets the bar high for Clive, Clive should do everything in his power to strive to be as heroic a composer as Beethoven.