There is definitely a difference between playing technically challenging music and playing with feeling. I struggle with this tension all the time in my own piano playing. Making the fingers and hands move at top speed with maximum precision is very challenging for most of us -- it takes almost all of the mind's attention just to keep up with the music. I find that there often isn't much left over to actually "listen deeply", which is the main key to playing with feeling. On slower material, its possible to maintain a richer and deeper awareness, in which the music flows in and through the mind with a relaxed and creative energy. Obviously there are musicians who can do both at the same time, but I think at some point everbody reaches the limit of where they can both play and listen at the same time. EDIT =================== evolusean: I'm sure you're right that there are folks who discount technical skill out of a sort of prejudice. I still think the point stands though: as your technical skill rises, the amount of brainpower which is consumed just to hit the notes decreases; that allows more available for listening and responding to the music emotionally. Obviously someone with massive technical skill would have a higher "threshold" on this than the rest of us. Then there are those who really excel in emotional connection and have rather modest technical skill. Its a spectrum in both dimensions, there's no hard-and-fast rules. I do work on improving technical skills, and I also work on being more attentive in listening and responding. Progress can be made in both areas with time and effort.

Just my two cents worth but when you listen to songs that are generally regarding as being very emotionally charged they often have a slow tempo as this suits the sort of emotional lethargy we associate with feeling sad and depressed. For example, if you compare for arguments sake guitar playing, using Dire Straits as an example that springs to mind, listen to both Money For Nothing and Brothers In Arms. MFN is a very up beat song with a fast tempo and a memorable guitar riff at it's melodic basis. However, it is not what most would call emotional and so is said to be lacking in feeling. This is in my opinon an error as happiness and enthusiasm are also emotions, but when people talk about emotions, negative ones tend to stand out in memory first off - good acting in TV/movies nearly always seems to involve men in rages and women crying. Anyway, despite being one of their signature songs, many believe that it is simply a money-earner - lots of people enjoy that type of music so will buy it, but there is little or no story or feeling to it. Listen to BIA and it is much slower, the guitar conveys much more feeling in the notes and could be said to be more emtionally charged, the song in general having more feeling. So in summary it IMHO is because people tend to associate feeling with the more negative and sadder aspects of the human emotional spectrum, whether rightly or wrongly. There are exceptions however - Jimi Hendrix is popularly regarded as being one of, if not the best guitarist to have lived, and his tunes were often fast and complex.

Here is Rusty Cooley, an underground shredder who is often accused of playing without feeling. Though IMO I feel that all the fast arpeggios really make a glorious and ethereal sound.