“Tunesmith,” by Lloyd Biggle Jr, and “A Work of Art,” by James Blish, are superficially alike: they’re both about brilliant composers who are misunderstood and neglected by society. The differences are considerable, though.
“Tunesmith” is about a man fighting for the composition of quality music, in a world where all music is controlled by the advertising industry. “A Work of Art” is more introspective; it’s about a man trying to recover the genius of his youth.
What’s interesting is that “Tunesmith” seems much less science-fictional than “A Work of Art”; it’s essentially social commentary with a big shaggy-dog pun. “Art,” by contrast, is sf from beginning to end (especially the end!)
"Art" is ultimately a better story, I think; not just because it’s clearer science fiction but because it seems to be more about the act of creation, whereas “Tunesmith” is about society’s reaction to the artist. The former is a better story for introverts, at any rate.
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