Dependz on da CHOP piece
Diz da perfect example ov gensui rhythm
Da RECTUM iz lyk a mofo drivin a FERRARI down a ztraight lyn pedal to da floor 
Da ZIFF lyk a mofo ridin thro an azzault courze on a motabyke 
in da middle ov north zentinel izland 
wiz random nativez 
throwin arrowz at hiz azz n da CODA iz where he hop on a zpeedboat n get d a fuck outta dodge 
I just think he has the capacity to elongate time 
Aha dis rec.
Imagine if dat gensui wuz unleazhed at da chopcomp. 
Whoa. 
Allright metronomic playing is never good, but there’s a clear difference between that and having an innate sense of rhythm in your playing. It is that I think is almost universally found in “great” pianists. It has nothing to do with being metronomic or lacking in freedom - Rachmaninoff indeed, but even someone like Cherkassky was kosher to the point of pedanticism when it came to these basic musical principles.
Pulse, too. There I wouldn’t take the venerable Shura as example perhaps, but if you listen to Richter play Beethoven you almost can’t keep yourself from stomping along with the foot sometimes. There’s nothing “metronomic” or dry about it, but it’s strong, tightly kept and done in a marked, almost dancing manner.
Pulse+rhythm=life. It can have dramatic effects in hall on its own as well. One of my most memorable concert experiences was hearing Sokolov play the 3rd Schubert MM in 2015. There was nothing wild about the playing, but suddenly having that marked and, in his hands, unrelenting rhythm after the sedative 2nd MM was a near hallucinogenic experience where it seemed as if the whole hall came alive and danced with him.
I think there’s an important distinction to be made between dubious metrical sensibility and usage of agogic accents, tbh.
Someone will probably tell me agogics ARE metrically dubious 
In the piece da ZEPP pozted firzt - metronomic workz bezt
Metronomic simply means minimal ‘warping’ - and it includes accenting beats and outlining phrases musically
When I said balance between Warping and Metronomic - I meant that during most beats there is an even tempo - but just as there is dynamics in terms of loud and soft - rubato can be seen as dynamic also.
Just as a passage can be marked Forte - it doesn’t mean play every note the same volume, it’s just a general idea, and there should be the same approach taken with rhythmic dynamics.
Structure should be maintained but not at the expense of the natural breathing-rubato that flows with a passage - and vice versa.
Yeah, I’m sensitive to that word after an ill advised Liszt scholar tried to make the case that Liszt was a crap pianist, (mis-)quoting a review to make it appear as if Liszt’s playing was metronomic as part of his “evidence”.
Metronomic is a word I’d only use negatively, since it implies playing mechanically, while the ability to keep a firm pulse and correct rhythm are only positive traits.
That being said, some pianists could learn a thing or two from Maestro Midi.
My favourite performances of some lesser played pieces to this day are still Midis, because despite their mechanical nature - sometimes an unerring pulse and tempo are better assets than human subtlety.
Say in pieces like - Alkan’s Le Preux, etc.
Haha, if I only could play it I’d take that piece around the world
ahahahaha da zepp wud zay dat
da ZIFF rappah6 central moizt becummah a TRULY HEART WRENCHIN ZHEEYAT
AFTAH
u hear da MOTEL rec
becuz datz when u realize
u now haff to ztart enjoyin a ZIFF rec of an SDC clazzic
fo itz moizt
TRU!! da ztrong/weak beat accent tech iz mo important den keepin ztrict tym
da 
, much lyk da 
, alzo had a uniquely fucked gensui rhythmic zenze. if u compare hiz ztarz ztrippah zheeyat wiz modern mofoz who prax wiz a metronome, u vil c da HO dun really play in tym, but zound mo MOFO regardlezz
ahahah da LIB mention iz correct
diz VAR da perfect example of da LIB in lazy chill mode 
Funny you should say that, what I like most about his playing is his sense of rhythm
Da lib hath no rhythm but much meter
hahaha da will zay :
I play zum var boringly on purpoze fo zum othah varz to zound wikid in contrazt
ahahahah mannnnn
even da miami maztahclazz chick appear unconvinced by da LIB BZ 
if he try to pull diz zheeyat here he vil be banned from zervin on da JURY in any fucha 88 comp organized by da SDC
Ok, “worst” rhythm pozz
Da BARMITZVAH
HAHAHAHAH!!!
FUCKKKKKKKKK how did i forget da fuckin BAR 
harzhly very very tru
da BAR cg rhythm pozz a rezult of uzin 100% fingahwork wiz no wrizt/arm azzizt
alzo da GAV PIMPZON fuguz if we iz talkin individual ztandout clipz, but datz pozz an intentional zheeyat, or not
Mannn, da BAR bazically an all-around legend but falls behind in da 2 ho trademarks:
Octs, n rhythm
Da DOC haf zum ov da bez rhythm 
Partly due to zheer tech but a big part ov hiz gensui iz keepin up a 
zolid tempo while all hell iz breakin looze 
