What two artistic duties does a performer have when interpreting a musical work?

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When interpreting a musical work, a performer holds a twofold artistic duty:

To the fundamental character of the work: The performer must remain faithful to the essential nature and spirit of the composition they are interpreting.1
To their own artistic conscience: The performer must honor their personal artistic judgment, which guides them in determining how the music should unfold.1

These two responsibilities are not necessarily mutually exclusive, as the performer plays a vital role in creating the total musical experience.1