Matt asks about playing from memory: >More generally, is this a practice that is common among performers that >I've simply never noticed? Well, from my 20 od years of concert going, I can only remember 1 or 2 occasions wen a piano solist has had a score in front of him/her on the grand. I would think that it is/was a thing that developed during 20'th centrury, piano solosit being vain, did not want to be regarded as lesser musicians than string soloists (whom been scoreless for much longer). It's become a trend with conductors as well, to lern things at heart - to be able to skip the intimidating score. I heard the young Russian/American conductor Yakov Kreizberg two weeks ago doing Shostakovich eleventh from memory - quite a stunning performance, kept me two inches above the seat. - British pianist Imogen Cooper played a woolly Mozart 27'th from memory as appetiser at the same concert, which put me to sleep... But it was from memory... peter lundin, gothenburg.se - Counting the days: DSCH 100 (1906-2006)