BuzWeaver is offline BuzWeaver Post #1  August 7,2009, 4:11pm
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He played six Bach pieces for about 60 minutes. During that time approximately 2,000 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.


After: 4 minutes
 The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping, continued to walk.


After: 6 minutes
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.


After: 10 minutes
A three 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.


After: 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.


After: 1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

This is a real story. The Washington Post, as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities, arranged the entire scenario.


Playing incognito, no one knew 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 prior to this, Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the tickets averaged $100 per seat.


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 such 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?

Pearls Before Breakfast - washingtonpost.com
Last edited by BuzWeaver; August 7,2009 at 7:41pm.
 
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happyquestion is offline happyquestion Post #2  August 7,2009, 4:34pm
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good question to ponder... thank you for this post, I need to think now
 
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j0hn8andy is offline j0hn8andy Post #3  August 7,2009, 4:43pm
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Me too. Thank You, BuzWeaver! Red for the Roses...
 
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eHA_Admin_Lori is offline eHA_Admin_Lori — Advice Official Moderator Post #4  August 7,2009, 4:47pm
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WOW, what a great post, Buzz. Please add the source to your OP if you have it.

It's an interesting question, to be sure. One of the reasons I so love the weekend is because I can linger over things as opposed to being in such a rush to get to the next...meeting, task, etc.

I wonder what the folks who read that article and who walked by Joshua that day thought!
 
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CreolePrincess is offline CreolePrincess Post #5  August 7,2009, 4:59pm
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I completely think it has a lot to do with that people in large cities are used to seeing street musicians and and do not stop to appreciate it at the time when the can simply "get it later". I would be will to put money on it that if that happened in this area, time would stand still. He might not make any money but he'd sure get applause, questions, and requests.
 
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BuzWeaver is offline BuzWeaver Post #6  August 7,2009, 7:38pm
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Pearls Before Breakfast - washingtonpost.com
 
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meri75 is offline meri75 Post #7  August 9,2009, 2:11am
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Wow, that did not end at all how I anticipated it would.

It's a bit scary, isn't it?
 
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JDavid is offline JDavid Post #8  August 9,2009, 5:02am
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This is from a person who is NOT a music aficionado – who does not own any music playing devices other than a truck radio that is never turned on (and may not even work). I prefer silence or natural sounds, particularly over recorded or amplified sounds.

Years ago at a flea market in a small town of central Florida, I was (quite uncharacteristically) drawn to some very intricate and sparklingly clear music off in the distance. A man was playing a fiddle in what I have learned was impressionistic / improvisational / or free style. He maintained the main theme with perhaps half his effort – then "went out" and played all sorts of "add-ons" to the side – and returned to the theme seamlessly and brilliantly.

No one else paid much attention. I stayed an hour or more – and learned that the man with the fiddle was a recognized and recorded musician who was spending the winter in Florida and just wanted to play.
 
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