Virtuosity

It's important to remember, when we're playing, to listen for the listener [ See blog, Listening for the Listener ].
Often we start too quickly.
We don't get the listener with us.
We don't give them time for a bit of a breath, like in singing.
The listener needs a bit of a breath too, so they can catch up, and be ready to go on.
We should start things a little easy, not exaggerated, just a little slower, then speed up in the middle, and slow down a little bit at the end.
The idea is to add subtle nuance, where you're stretching the start and stretching the ending just a little bit.
If we're not careful we can take off like a rocket and leave the listener behind, then they have to catch up, and they're a little lost briefly.
That's virtuosity, but not serving the music.
We need to get the listener with us at the start and add a pinch of a pull-out at the end or it's over with before it starts.
Let's not leave the listener behind.