Deryk replies to Henk van Tuijl:

>>...  What do we say when we say that someone's playing is poetic? Do
>>we only mean to say that it is so in our perception?
>
>Largely, yes.
>
>>Is there nothing "out there"? Doesn't the peformance of the artist matter
>>at all?
>
>Of course. If I attempted to play the music the first word to spring
>to mind would be "incompetent".

Same here.

>>In other words, is the audience the "creator" of a poetical musical
>>performance and not the musician?
>
>No, the performer performs and the listener takes what (s)he can/wants to
>from the performance.  What I hear as poetic you may not and vice-versa.

Another personal, recent illustration:

Many people have characterized Lipatti's playing for me as "aristocratic"
and "elegant."  I can see their point - that is, I can point to things in
the performance that might lead to such an impression.  This doesn't mean
that they work the same way on me.  I hear Lipatti as  "natural," and
"reticent."

Steve Schwartz