Juozas Rimas wrote:

>The following text is not meant to be politically incorect.  I've been
>told several times that Japenese are not able to play classical music
>properly (?) because they can't have the cultural experience of the West.

Ignore the people that say that.  They're simply incorrect, IMHO.  I've
worked with a number of extraordinarily talented Japanese musicians.  It's
a lousy generalization.  Someone will tell you that Yo Yo Ma (chinese, not
Japanese, but the same "cultural"generalization would apply) can't play
music? Absurd and uninformed.

>On the one hand I'm sure that the criticists would not distinguish between
>a Western and Japanese pianist listening to two label-less disks, but on
>the other hand, pure skill in fact seems not enough to make a pianist
>really respectable, at least in the opion of a connoisseur.

This also is a generalization.  Play two label-less discs of musicians of
comparable "skill" and about half the listeners will like one, about half
the other.  Usually skill and artistry are recognized.  In fact, I think
that most connoisseurs will agree that Japan has produced a large number
of fine musicians, and that musical life in Japan is strong, important in
their society, and enjoys broad public and institutional support, more than
can be said about some Western countries.

David Runnion