"Beethoven suppressed everything, his personal life disappeared until he was locked inside. That is a figure quite extreme"

This quote by Michael Tippett is referring to the life of Ludwig van Beethoven, a popular author of the classical age. Tippett is recommending that Beethoven was so devoted to his music that he reduced his individual life, to the point where it almost vanished. This is a severe example of dedication to one's craft, and Tippett is highlighting this by referring to Beethoven as a "figure rather severe". Beethoven's devotion to his music was so strong that it was practically as if he was locked inside his own world, and his personal life was no longer a top priority. This quote is a testimony to Beethoven's enthusiasm for music, and the lengths he wanted to go to in order to create his work of arts.