The reincarnation argument does not seem to me to have any more proof now than it ever did. I know my Buddhist friends believe in it. Perhaps in physics the infinite universe theory might approach reincarnation, but as far as I'm concerned that theory is only a theory. I think physics is from the male mind and therefore is happy to come up with a multiverse theory rather than acknowledge a creative force which is too suggestive of "God." I'd like to propose a "Multi-God" theory. It's all just thought experiments anyway. Even if you are Saint Augustin. Although, I'm hungry and I'd take his pear right out of his hand if he were standing in front of me, original sin be damned.
Now, back to music. I have been thinking about your creative time suggestion, in which musical time comes from the performer. I am especially struck with that as Qobuz gives me so many choices for Bach's Cello Suites that I can't go through them all.
I am now very happily listening to Fournier. Before him I was listening to Alisa Weilerstein. What I am thinking is that there seem to be three categories of musical performance. Number one, which I think you like best, is soul wrenching, in which the artist finds his/her musical timing. Number two is for the performer to get the hell out of the way and let the composer shine through. Number three is to try to create beauty, which I'm not sure you acknowledge or at least like in a musical piece. Let us say that Alisa Weilerstein is in the beauty category. Fournier in the get the hell out of the way category. And Starker in the soul-wrenching category. I may have mis-categorized these artists, but I think I might have the categories correct.
Are you listening?

