Perception...something to think about?

[tinkerbell23]

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?

[Mick-Talbot]

Ah well..... It does prove the story to be true.

[tinkerbell23]

Im glad its true :0) x

[jno]

lots of answers to this: metro stations have bad acoustics; they're crowded with people coming and going, so you can't concentrate on the music; and we use them ourselves because we've got to be going somewhere - we don't have time to stop.

Another possibility is they had it right, the music isn't beautiful, the violin's just a piece of wood, the musician's just another busker. It's the worshipful crowds in the Albert Hall who are wrong.

[Canary42]

I listened to the clip, and it didn't seem to me any better then many a Tube busker. Many people I'm sure share my lack of recognition of "good" playing so as the guy was casually dressed he was obviously not recognised as a maestro.

[tinkerbell23]

I wouldnt personally recognize... However if i heard something i liked i wouldnt often stop??

I ADORE a few bands/ singers..i wonder if they were disgused and sang an unknown song somewhere if id stop...i think i would!

I stopped to watch and listen to a dancing gospel group in glasgow a few weeks ago actually xx

[tamborine]

yay....one woman stopped to listen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnOPu0_YWhw