"I am not in the habit of rewriting my compositions. I never
did it because I am profoundly convinced that every change of
detail changes the character of the whole." -- Ludwig van Beethoven

(February 19, 1813, to George Thomson, who had requested some
changes in compositions submitted to him for publication.)

Beethoven, the Man and the Artist, as Revealed in His Own Words

"Melody is the essence of music. I compare a good melodist to
a fine racer, and counterpointists to hack post-horses; therefore
be advised, let well alone and remember the old Italian proverb:
Chi sa piu, meno sa--'Who knows most, knows least.'" -- W. A. Mozart

(To the English tenor Michael Kelly, about 1786, in answer to
Kelly's question whether or not he should take up the study of
counterpoint.)

"If one has the talent it pushes for utterance and torments
one; it will out; and then one is out with it without
questioning. And, look you, there is nothing in this thing of
learning out of books. Here, here and here (pointing to his ear,
his head and his heart) is your school. If everything is right
there, then take your pen and down with it; afterward ask the
opinion of a man who knows his business." -- W. A. Mozart

(To a musically talented boy who asked Mozart how one might learn to compose.)