I liked what I listened to of this. I will have to come back another time and scroll up to where I stopped.

The joy of not knowing anything about most of what you people talk about here is, at times, a blessing. I don't know the technical music aspects of playing or listening. It is all for fun for me, and either I like to play or listen to a piece or not. As a result, if what I am liking has mistakes, I never know; so even if a piece is played by memory, I won't know if there are any missed noted, missed beats, etc. I either like it or I don't. Ah, to enjoy just the music and pure joy of it all. 

Sometimes I think orchestras and conductors, and some of the audience members and critics, take themselves too seriously and forget it is art; to err is human, art is open to interpretation, art is creativity, art can take someone else's art and add your thoughts and creativity it inspired in you. I say go for orchestras playing from memory, let the creativity, interpretation (the notes and beats they felt were supposed to be played) flow. Hip hip hooray for loosening that belt. 

I think that playing from memory takes some of the mechanic or automatic sound out of some performances. 

I kind of like not seeing the music stands and I like the idea of just letting it rip from memory. I say, "March on dear musicians! Free yourself from music stands." It is creative license, not missed notes or missed beats. This is art and open to interpretation, I say. 😂😂😂

Thank you for this topic, @Gordon Shumway. I really like this, very interesting.

🐭