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 approximately 2000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.
After three minutes a middle-aged man noticed that 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 Later:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
10 Minutes Later:
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 six 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.
One 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.
Joshua Bell playing incognito in the Metro Station was organized by the Washington Post as a 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?
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
WOW!! is all I can say. Very moving
Echoing Susan’s comment….Wow!!
Rich and Friends,
I would first of all like to commend you on a thought-provoking and insightful post. The moral that you drew was from the vantage point of the commuters, who like everyone else on their journey through life, tend to neglect the beauty and wonder that surounds them.
Yes, your post about Joshua Bell blew my mind, but for a different reason. I thought about it not from the perspective of the D.C. metro commuters, but from the vantage point of a performer, or a business person. The lesson for me is that one can, so to speak, play one mean fiddle, but if one is in the wrong place at the wrong time, it won’t be appreciated by anyone.
In other words, location is so very important, and it’s true for restaurants as well as for individuals. Bathasar Gracian, writes about the need to transport ourselves, if necessary, for some people are ignored in one city but are considered a prodigy in yet another city. The philosopher Pythagoras, for example, was ignored by the Athenians, so he got on a boat to Italy and his school for mathematics and philosophy really took off. And the rest, as they say, is history.
A related lesson has to do with timing. Joshua Bell played when people were on their way to work. What if, instead, he had take his violin to the metro on a Friday evening or on a Saturday afternoon, when people were less hurried? No doubt, he would have had a much better reception.
Anyway, your excellent blog article has given me much to think about, for I am in the midst of relocating my business.
The interesting bit in the story is that it was children who stopped to listen to the music, and parents dragged them away! So, kids NOTICED the beauty!!! And the question is do we pay 100 USD per sit in the theatre when a famous musician plays because he is advertised to us and we think it is cool, and because it is a symbol of status and a certain life style, or because we APPRECIATE AND LOVE his music and his talent?