buckee Posted September 25, 2009 Report Share Posted September 25, 2009 ...Something to think about... Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin 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 minutes 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 minutes later: the violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat 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 minutes: A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but 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 their children to move on quickly. 45 minutes: The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $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 greatest 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 true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a 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 this: 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 ever made.... How many other things are we missing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckee Posted September 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted September 25, 2009 Report Share Posted September 25, 2009 That's crazy to think such a thing would happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texan_Til_I_Die Posted September 25, 2009 Report Share Posted September 25, 2009 Here's the problem - They tried it in a big city environment. Do the same thing in almost any small town and you'll have a crowd gathered around listening in no time. Even though the crowd may not know a darn thing about classical music, they'll have enough sense to recognize it as something special. I'd stop, listen, and applaud (actually I'd go up, shake his hand and tell him how much I appreciated his talent) when he finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alisha Posted September 25, 2009 Report Share Posted September 25, 2009 Exactly what Texan said! Had this happened down where I'm from in West Virginia, or up here in NS..... even though people probably wouldn't know who he is, they would have the appreciation for his wonderful talent. City folks really baffle me at times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camoman1 Posted September 25, 2009 Report Share Posted September 25, 2009 I also agree with Texan. People in a big city are a lot different than folks from a small town. I have been noticing this all my life, I grew up in a city of over 600,000 but spent lots of time and now live in a city of about 9,000. Interesting experiment for sure...but I cant really say that Im surprised by the outcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJR Posted September 25, 2009 Report Share Posted September 25, 2009 I'll bet that if he had played "The Orange Blossom Special" there would have been all sorts of people stop! LOL!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
okiedog Posted September 25, 2009 Report Share Posted September 25, 2009 I'll bet that if he had played "The Orange Blossom Special" there would have been all sorts of people stop! LOL!! I know they would in my town! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stcif Posted September 25, 2009 Report Share Posted September 25, 2009 Interesting, but not suprising. What suprised me is nobody stole the money. It is the small things in life, usually free of charge, that bring the most enjoyment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruttinbuc Posted September 26, 2009 Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 Funny how that works! Maybe its the DC crowd...Maybe it is the times. I can remember crowds gathered around street musicians and artists in NYC back when. Of course the city is so much more fast paced. Nothing much going on in the country. So a crowd would gather out of just something to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted September 26, 2009 Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 I'll add one more thing. How many of those folks that show up for those $100 concerts more for social reasons than for the love of music? How many are in church on suday for the same reason? They'd get no satisfaction watching this talent in such a venue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebeilgard Posted September 26, 2009 Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 i'm not saying i'd stop, but the big city crowd and reaction is about normal, i'd say. i had a simular experiece once. for 8 years, i'd hunted a ranch across the street from chris ledoux. one early morning, i'd stopped at the ranch with my hunters, as we were a half hour early for hunting. about 5:20 am. we saw the lights on in the house and thought we'd get a cup of coffee. as we walked up, wonderful piano music was coming from the home. it stopped when we knocked. as it turned out, gary was a juliard trained concert pianist, aka rancher. he was flying out that day for one of his concerts. so, even kaycee wyoming has some culture. and even this wyoming hick can tell good music when i hear it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sskybnd Posted September 26, 2009 Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 id have to say the same steve, i beleave they have lived such a hussle and bussle life that they do miss out on so much going around them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dance.and.shoot Posted September 26, 2009 Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 Exactly what Texan said! City folks really baffle me at times. That's one of the things I miss about small towns. Lehi is small, but it's big enough that people don't really stop and listen. Most just shake their heads, mutter that that person should go out and get a real job and go on their way. it makes me sick to see people act like that. Why can't they just appreciate some free clean entertainment? I don't care if I'm going to be late for work, school, or just in a hurry. I always make it a point to stop for a couple minutes, close my eyes and let the music flow over me. I thank them, and go on my way...my day much better than what it had been!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arrow32 Posted September 26, 2009 Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 Exactly what Texan said! Had this happened down where I'm from in West Virginia, or up here in NS..... even though people probably wouldn't know who he is, they would have the appreciation for his wonderful talent. City folks really baffle me at times. Yep yep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tink Posted September 26, 2009 Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 Demographics Washington DC is 94% Black and 4% foreign born So I am not surprised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pointing_dogs_rule Posted September 26, 2009 Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 I'd have probably tried to dance to the music. Would that have been a hoot!! good luck to all the dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunterbobb Posted September 26, 2009 Report Share Posted September 26, 2009 Texan is comparing apples to oranges. Of couse a crowd would have gathered in the small town to listen to the music. How often does someone stand on the street and give a concert. In the big city the people probably walked past several other street performers before they got to him. It still does not ecuse the behavior. They should have know that this was different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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