I played a piece I wrote at the Mendelson Joe memorial in April and it was videotaped. Good thing I didn’t realize that because recordings often are a distraction. When I watched it back I realized how removed I was from the emotional value of the piece. This was super interesting, I had no idea how much insulation existed between the notes and my goals. Viewing and listening to the video altered the way I play it now, which is much slower. It feels more emotional and dramatic. I am no Richter but this experience reminds me of the fabulous moment in the bio about Richter when Glenn gould talks about the first time he heard him and how he revealed each note to him. I didn’t know what the hell Glenn Gould was talking about but now when I play this piece I feel as though I am trying to occupy a space that does just that, reveal each note to the listener. Recordings are amazing gifts for human efforts, an earlier incarnation of AI discussions.