Famous classical violinist plays in subway station - No one notices

[KneeCo]

Very good article, good read.

I love that a woman recognizes him then gives him money.

I thought it was very well written and not pompous at all.

[DeezNuts]

I haven't read it yet, but this is the follow-up interview with the author.

Follow-up interview

[Aloysius]

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I'm curious if any of you listened to the audio linked at the top of the article, and if so, what did you think? Did it change your reaction to the story? I found the article truly depressing, but that's probably because I actually know the Chaconne.

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Video didn't work for me - actually since I enjoy classical violin music I think it might've impacted my assessment of the woman who recognized him (although she is clearly being pretentious on some level, and my guess is primarily recognized him due to seeing him perform just weeks earlier).

Overall though it's unclear to me why this article would actually depress someone. Do you believe that there is some music composition that is empirically beautiful, therefore it's depressing that it would go unnoticed? I understand there are tones, scales, etc. that are on average more pleasing to a listener and drive arrangement and composition... but it is still largely a matter of personal taste.

My sense is alot of people do not enjoy / care about classical music and wouldn't care if they heard it being played on a virtuoso level within earshot.

-Al

[Jack of Arcades]

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It's like they rigged the "experiment" to validate the idea that in an incongruous setting, people will not recognize brilliance.

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Actually, their biggest fear would be that people would recognize him and forma crowd to see Josh Bell play, thus tainting the experiment.

[skunkworks]

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Federal Employee: So...what does this prove or disprove?

That if I don't stop and listen to him play classical music, then I am some ignorant rube?

If my day starts at 7am, then that means I can leave at 3:30pm. As much as I like classical music, I like getting home to my family as soon as possible even more.

In any case, I still don't understand the notion of having to give him (lots of ) money. When I give money to musicians on the street, more often than not it's for musicians who are obvious amateurs, or wholly awful. The fact that they do this at all (oftentimes day in and day out) take lots of 'cajones.'

Sorry, but this entire article was rather banal in its thesis and execution.

Gene Weingarten: What are you so defensive about? I wasn't criticizing you personally.

Wait, maybe I was.

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This pretty much sums up my reaction to OOT's reaction. I also think most people missed the intent of the article.

[burningyen]

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I don't think any currently living classical musician can be considered "famous" outside of classical music circle.

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Not picking on you, just curious about OOT's knowledge here:

[Aloysius]

JofA - that's a fair point. I mean I understand the experiment was mainly for fun, and I guess this was the best they could do.

Skunk - I think that while that may have been the main thrust of the article, and perhaps that was what depressed BurningYen... I am just trigger happy when I smell a whiff of perceived elitism... and reread this woman's quote, I don't think she's lamenting thee fact that the working man can't take time to stop and smell the roses...

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"It was the most astonishing thing I've ever seen in Washington," Furukawa says. "Joshua Bell was standing there playing at rush hour, and people were not stopping, and not even looking, and some were flipping quarters at him! Quarters! I wouldn't do that to anybody. I was thinking, Omigosh, what kind of a city do I live in that this could happen?"

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-Al

[TheRover]

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I didn't read the article but I am kind of surprised by glancing over it because I thought Joshuau Bell was really famous even outside of classical music circles.

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I don't think any currently living classical musician can be considered "famous" outside of classical music circle.

I wonder what how famous a person would have to be to cause people to stop there?

Would they stop for Joshua Redman (jazz saxophonist)?

Would they stop for John Petrucci (guitarist for Dream Theater)? Joe Satriani? They'd obviously stop if it were, e.g., Eric Clapton, right?

(Actually there's a scene in one of Dream Theater's DVDs. Petrucci is in some store playing a miniature guitar. He's playing a Dream Theater song. A guy comes up to him and asks if he's playing Dream Theater. But didn't recognize Petrucci at all.)

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I am a big DT fan and I wouldn't recognize Petrucci at all. I have no idea what he looks like.

[CharlieDontSurf]

I can agree with you AL that she seems like a tool..but that doesn't mean that her view is the authors or the article's.

[gusmahler]

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I don't think any currently living classical musician can be considered "famous" outside of classical music circle.

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Not picking on you, just curious about OOT's knowledge here:

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Just because I've heard the name Yo Yo Ma and actually have some of his recordings doesn't mean I'd recognize him if I saw him in the subway.