Had he not lost his hearing, Beethoven's later music would have been of poorer quality titan it is. Beethoven's music became gradually more introspective as he grew older. Had he not lost his hearing, Beethoven's later music would probably have been different than it is. It was more difficult for Beethoven to compose his later works than his earlier ones.
Musicologist: Ludwig van Beethoven began losing his hearing when he was 30. This loss continued gradually, but was not complete until late in his life. While it may seem that complete hearing loss would be a severe liability for a composer, in Beethoven' s case it gave his later music a wonderfully introspective quality that his earlier music lacked.
Which one of the following statements is most strongly supported by the musicologist's claims?