hmmmm... well, these are interesting responses. Honestly, I am most interested in the fact that even musicians seem to revere "effective" performers most as though it is the very essence of music itself. But then what is effective, really ? For many people on this forum and in my everyday life it seems to be speed, repertoire size, and showmanship (which may not have anything at all to do with musicality). How much is Liszt revered and why ? Yes, there are other topics within this, apparently.
But, when one of us decides to be a good musician and a good pianist, I think most people aim to "play fast" -- "play loud" -- "be impressive" .... communication is reduced to this. And, for all this talk about communication in general, what is being communicated ? A performer's life ? hmmmm.... that seems suspicious.
In any event, what I am saying is that it seems to me that on a fundamental level, piano students revere fast fingers over things like history and theory -- and treat these fast fingers as communicators of music. And what I don't understand is why people don't have a higher standard ? Why do so many people accept this as a sufficient musicality ?
If you don't think you do accept this as a sufficient musicality, then why are we satisfied with a performer who cannot explain what is actually happening theoretically in the piece ? Or, with a performer who cannot help another to truly learn ? Why do we have a double standard and expect that a teacher should be a top level performer (and be on the concert circuit) but a performer should not have to be capable of teaching ?
As a matter of fact, it seems that many people accept that a performer does not need to know a thing about anything, really, beyond his own hands and arms (and sometimes not even beyond his fingers). They are not expected to know a thing about composition, theory, history ... just so long as they "touch our hearts" ... but, what in the world are they communicating and "touching our hearts" with if they don't know anything besides their hands and arms ?
At the time I just find it all a bit curious.