I wouldn't agree with this at all, I would say that, ultimately (music 'business' aside) the overriding purpose is, or should be, the creation of the music between the performers, the 'conversation' that they're having for their own enjoyment. The crowd is just there for the ride.
And so with that in mind, the experience of the player, whether that extends to their instrument or not, becomes an intrinsic part of that. Whether the player puts any importance on it is another, subjective, question.
Si