Actually... some artists need more credit than they're getting. Lady Gaga for instance. One of the greatest performers of our day. Over the top? sometimes... But at the same time, musically, she is one of the most talented as well. She can play piano like Elton John. Has an incredible voice, unfortunately what the radio hears are the dance hits, which have a tendency to drown out the voice.
If playing piano like Elton John is the pinnacle of musical talent, then I worry for music.
I mean absolutely no disrespect to the man, he's one of my favourite musicians, and I would be one of the happiest people in the world if I had his technical ability, but if we look at the great concert pianists of the past, and compare our so called "most talented" such as Elton John, and Lady Gaga, then society has taken quite a few steps back in music.
I don't believe one is so important without the other. This can go for any art. In Magic. It's not so impressive to see someone perform a perfect pass. or any other sleight perfectly. It's about the connection to the audience. That's all it is with any art.
Art is about connecting with your audience. Your emotion and passion is sometimes more important than your talent. although, your talent often helps you to convey your emotion and passion to the audience.
Your definition of art is an interesting one.
What about expressionism and abstract? What about Brechtian theatre? What about when music is played and no one is listening? What about when someone writes a poem, or paints a painting, and never shows anyone? No audience to connect with, so in those contexts, are they not art?
Composing magic and music are often the same level skill. Have the solid foundations in music, you are bound to be able to right a song in no time.
Wrong. Just, so very wrong. A magic trick is not a piece of art. A song is (most of the time). Don't even put them near the same level as each other. That's like saying, "Having the solid foundations of a language, you are bound to be able to write a poem in no time."
What make those songs special are that they're written in the same 4 chords. a lot of the time it's the lyrics behind it, or the personality behind it. A magic trick, like the 4 chords to music, is often just a double lift or top change, a false shuffle or count, a pass, simple gimmick of some sort. I could be wrong.. But to close, it's about your familiarity with the art. The more familiar you are with it, and the more time you've invested into the study of the art and it's creations of other artists, the easier it is for you to create works of your own. simple as that.
Musical chords are in no way, shape or form analogous to sleights.