In Washington , DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, a 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 into 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 away hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pulled 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 continued to play. 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 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 into 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 away hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pulled 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 continued to play. 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. It raised several questions:
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. It raised several questions:
- In a common-place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?
- If so, 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 as we rush through life?
There are two questions that intrigued me regarding perceiving beauty and talent in unexpected contexts. My question would be how many perceive beauty. Probably every person who interacted with J. Bell did perceive beauty – but not the others who passed by without noticing. The recognition of his talent in any context is not connected to whether the passerby gives him money (implied in this experiment) but to the prerequisite perception of beauty.
ReplyDeleteWould you have given him money? If you gave him money, would it be explicitly because you wanted him to keep playing regardless of hard times, to survive as a musician? Would that enter your mind? Or would you give him money because you enjoyed the music and he obviously needed the money or he would not be playing there?
You posit some interesting questions. My initial reaction was to simply ask if 'beauty' is in the eye (or ear) of the beholder. I am able to admire the skills and technique seen in some abstract paintings and sculptures which, nevertheless, I would never perceive as beautiful. It would be difficult to know if those who "passed by without noticing" could have the ability to perceive beauty but, again, beauty should be defined — perhaps something that pleases the aesthetic senses. Certainly, there have been occasions when I have witnessed street musicians totally devoid of any musical skill or technique!
ReplyDeleteOne would expect an academic experiment of this kind to observe prerequisite perceptions of beauty, and not solely chart economies of scale.
Actually, this experiment caused me to recall my historic past in the UK. There was a period when I socialized regularly with some notable orchestral musicians and, at one particular time, I remember two of them, dressed in white tie and tails, played violin and cello on a busy London street ... to a very large and perceptive audience. Apparently, Joshua Bell was not in disguise for this experiment, other than wearing a baseball cap.
I find it difficult to answer your specific questions. For example, would I have recognized the skill and technique creating beauty and, thus, imagined that it was a deserving charity performance, or am I making a poor excuse for not engaging ... embarrassingly, it may be the latter.
There are many musicians and buskers in public places in Toronto specifically subway stations. They must audition for a place to play I believe. Sometimes they are interesting and sometimes annoying. There is a time and place for everything and when an event is out of context it is unfair to judge public response as an inability to recognize beauty of performance.
ReplyDeleteI think that this question attempted to discover our perception of beauty. In other words, the prerequisite perception in this case to have knowledge of the extraordinary mastery of playing a unique instrument, even when confronted by it when out of context, by people focussed on the concrete sidewalk. As, once, I discovered the beauty of clouds ... by simply looking upwards. Do we do this often enough?
ReplyDeleteWe experience beauty in nature, in another person, in the work of people through art, music, architecture, design and so on. It requires an open mind and the capacity to appreciate what our senses convey to our brain. Maybe in the stress of everyday existence our minds are not open to beauty unless we stop and "smell the roses" so to speak.
ReplyDeleteYes, stop and smell the roses.
ReplyDeleteI guess that says it all.
Thanks.