I've Heard it Before!

My job as a performer is to make it impossible for you, the listener, to say that.  In fact, you can only have heard it before if it is a recording and, even then, if it is a really good recording there will always be some fresh element that commands your attention.

But we are trained to not need to listen--by we I mean musicians.  Once we can identify the snippet, as in
"Name that Tune!", we are done.  No need to listen with a question mark:  Is that all there is to this?  What more could be happening that is not apparent at this moment?  Or, on a deeper level, is this really a minuet or is the composer playing games with me?

In our era of reproduced everything the full zest and savor of every sound risks getting lost.  Come on: let's put it back.  Let's insist on getting it back.