I don’t know. I’m sure the masters can hear music in their heads extremely well, but from what I have read it seems that Beethoven was distressed about his deafness specifically as it related to his profession. I haven’t done my research on how legit these supposed quotes are, but they give that impression:
> Ah, how could I possibly admit an infirmity in the one sense which ought to be more perfect in me than in others, a sense which I once possessed in the highest perfection
> If I belonged to any other profession it would be easier, but in my profession it is a frightful state
> Ah, how could I possibly admit an infirmity in the one sense which ought to be more perfect in me than in others, a sense which I once possessed in the highest perfection
> If I belonged to any other profession it would be easier, but in my profession it is a frightful state