There are a couple of very good musicians that play in the strip mall nearby. It is a shame they have to do this. In better days they would have regular gigs at local clubs. And people really don't have much money to throw at street players either nor time to stand and listen.
On 04/22/2011 11:19 AM, John wrote: > WillyTex, > > Nice post! It just goes to show people are busy to get to work to make a > living. There's a time and place to appreciate a good musician. The metro > station is not one of them. > > JR > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "WillyTex"<willytex@...> wrote: >> THE SITUATION (received in email-reformatted for easy reading) >> >> In Washington, DC at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, >> this man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. >> During >> that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of >> them on their way to work. After about 3 minutes, a middle-aged man >> noticed that there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and >> stopped >> for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule. >> >> About 4 minutes later: >> The violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw money in the hat >> and, >> without stopping, continued to walk. >> >> At 6 minutes: >> A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his >> watch and started to walk again. >> >> At 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 the whole time. This >> action >> was repeated by several other children, but every parent - without >> exception - >> forced their children to move on quickly. >> >> At 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. >> >> After 1 hour: >> He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed and no one >> applauded. There was no recognition at all. 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 each to sit and listen to him play >> the >> same music. This is a true story. Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the >> D.C. >> Metro Station, was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social >> experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities. >> >> This experiment raised several questions: >> >> 1. In a common-place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we >> perceive beauty? >> >> 2. If so, do we stop to appreciate it? >> >> 3. 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 as we rush through life? >> > >
