Public performances–brilliant analysis of performer-audience relationship

Here is a brilliant essay by Charles Rosen from his new book Piano Notes. Although Rosen only discusses the relationship between the performer and the audience for classical music, his thoughts are relevant to all public performances. The performer’s greatest reward is an intensity of listening by the audience. Note the subtle analysis of the performer-audience relationship, a deep analysis that gives us something to think about even in workaday teaching and business presentations.

The essay is long and should be printed out, in order to be read with the appropriate care and intensity that the essay deserves. Magicians have written a great deal about performer-audience relationships (see chapter 3 of Visual Explanations), but Rosen’s essay is the best discussion I’ve ever seen on performers and their audience.

[this link is now broken; good link below]