I understand how hard it is keeping one’s Vision intact when dealing with the “Industry”. I am a Singer-Songwriter, and, while it is a delight to have someone else record my songs, I would hate to see them mauled beyond recognition.
But, when someone buys the license to record the song, or the rights to a book to make a movie, they can do whatever they want with it, unless contractually obligated not to change it.
“God Bless America” by Irving Berlin actually had such an ironclad agreement that the arrangement could not be tampered with. But that is very unusual!
It must take immense strength to create that vision and let it go so completely. I was awfully naive back then and don’t think I was strong enough for what I was trying to do. But it was so glorious to create an entire world. I still remember slowing down my writing on the last page because I knew that when I typed the last word, I’d never enter it the same way again.
What joy you must have to be able to hear music. I sang in choirs, but never really learned to read music or play an instrument. When I found myself with a 200 page music manuscript from about 1800, the only thing I could do was lay in every single note separately in the Mozart program and hold my breath until the whole piece was in and I could hit play to hear the midi. Wiped out after putting in maybe half the book.
The idea that you can HEAR music awes me.