That's really interesting. I believe that's the hallmark of a mature field, where it starts bumping up against the limits of understanding in an almost fractal way.
People who have lived the field for long enough can ignore all the curlicues and find a beating heart. Anyone coming in fresh is hammered with detail after detail.
I've noticed something similar with the game I play, Dota 2. It's obv not as rich or beautiful as music, but it's been around for a few decades already, and skill is percolating through the community in a beautiful way. Years and years of muscle memory means people can forget about all the minutae and practicalities and just play.
People who have lived the field for long enough can ignore all the curlicues and find a beating heart. Anyone coming in fresh is hammered with detail after detail.
I've noticed something similar with the game I play, Dota 2. It's obv not as rich or beautiful as music, but it's been around for a few decades already, and skill is percolating through the community in a beautiful way. Years and years of muscle memory means people can forget about all the minutae and practicalities and just play.