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Topic: A Violinist in the Metro |
chas smith R.I.P.
From:
Encino, CA, USA
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Posted 31 Dec 2008 1:12 pm |
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This was sent to me and I thought I'd pass it on.
A Violinist in the Metro

Washington DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 mins a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.
4 mins later the violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the till and, without stopping, continued to walk.
6 minutes, a young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
10 mins: a 3 year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly, as the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced them to move on.
45 minutes; the musician played. Only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace.
He collected $32.
1 hour; he finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.
No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.
This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of an social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities. The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?
One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments .... how many other things are we missing? |
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Leslie Ehrlich
From:
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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Posted 31 Dec 2008 3:12 pm
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If there's no hype, advertising, or promotion of any kind, people are less likely to pay attention. That's what mass production, mass consumption, and mass media have done to American society. 
_________________
Sho-Bud Pro III + Marshall JMP 2204 half stack = good grind! |
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Tucker Jackson
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 31 Dec 2008 3:12 pm
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| What a great sociology experiment. I wonder if any of those who walked by without noticing had actually been in Joshua Bell's $100-a-seat audience two nights before? |
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Ken Lang
From:
Simi Valley, Ca
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Posted 31 Dec 2008 4:36 pm
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I've seen that before, on U tube I think. It is interesting to see the people who pass by and how few pay attention.
_________________
heavily medicated for your safety |
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 31 Dec 2008 7:10 pm
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| Quote: |
| If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments .... how many other things are we missing? |
Ah, the joys of forced (by someone else or ourselves) multi-tasking. Yup, this story broke almost a couple of years ago. I'm amazed that anybody was surprised by the reaction - this was in the middle of rush hour in the DC Metro.
But we are missing a helluvalot. The great things in life are simple, but usually completely overlooked if, while rushing to work, you're making a deal on your cellphone while you read the day's schedule while, in the back of your mind, you're thinking about the fire you have to put out when you get to work and the problems you have to deal with when you get home and ... . But we have more disposable income to buy more useless junk than any other society on earth, right? I'm impressed.
IMHO, of course. |
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