Deryk Barker:

>I'd suggest that only the very finest musicians can play live as
>technically well as on record and that all of the rest are being
>disadvantaged.

I think part of the problem is, as has been said, audiences; they need
to be educated on what to listen for, and that is music, not notes (and
what the difference is).  I'm interested in some way of actively pursuing
the education of audiences.  Music as it is taught in schools rarely
teaches how to listen to music.  And, the many different kinds of
listening.  E.g., are you listening to an audition, recording, live
performance, work in progress?  Is it a student recital, master class,
finished product?  etc.

To reply directly to the quoted statement, I think even the finest
musicians do not play as well live as in studio and certainly not as
well as in practice.  Moiseiwitsch said one always plays one's best alone
at home.  There may be some who play as well in recital as in practice,
but they are not necessarily the finest musicians.

Michael