Which would you rather be?

[kriskicksass]

I'd much rather be a great artist. Great virtuosi are a dime a dozen these days, but only a handful of pianists each generation can be called a great artist.

[eduard]

Great artist!

[stevie]

define what a great virtuoso is first.

it depends on just *how* great you mean, because a 'virtuoso' of hamelin's caliber certainly isnt a dime a dozen, he has a 100 billion dollar technique.

[donjuan]

define what a great virtuoso is first.

it depends on just *how* great you mean, because a 'virtuoso' of hamelin's caliber certainly isnt a dime a dozen, he has a 100 billion dollar technique.

Dont think anyone will pay that much for his technique.  I would rather listen to 1000 wrong notes played by Horowitz than any number of correct notes played by Hamelin.

[phil13]

I'm a composer, so "Great Artist" for me.

Besides, I would rather be remembered for the most emotional and tear-jerking interpretation of Chopin's E minor nocturne than for the most flawlessly note-perfect crisp playing of the Prokofiev Toccatta.

Phil

[rc]

All the great artists I can think of are/were also great virtuosos. I see artistry as something that transcends technique.

This seems like the ole' musicality/technique thing, I wonder... Where the hell did the idea of musicality and technique being seperate things come from anyhow? Not a very useful model.