Fascinating Washington Post Article

[Bukowski Fan]

Pearls Before Breakfast
Can one of the nation's great musicians cut through the fog of a D.C. rush hour? Let's find out.

By Gene Weingarten
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, April 8, 2007; Page

HE EMERGED FROM THE METRO AT THE L'ENFANT PLAZA STATION AND POSITIONED HIMSELF AGAINST A WALL BESIDE A TRASH BASKET. By most measures, he was nondescript: a youngish white man in jeans, a long-sleeved T-shirt and a Washington Nationals baseball cap. From a small case, he removed a violin. Placing the open case at his feet, he shrewdly threw in a few dollars and pocket change as seed money, swiveled it to face pedestrian traffic, and began to play.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html?hpid=topnews

It's kind of a long read, but it's really well worth it, seriously!

[grasswire]

1. thanks

this was excellent, and surprising!

[SeattleGirl]

2. Wow. My son in law just sent the same article to me.

Haven't finished it yet, but so far, it's fascinating, particularly since I used to play the violin.

[Mojorabbit]

3. Wonderful piece

and very telling
esp this part.


"Koyaanisqatsi" is a Hopi word. It means "life out of balance."

In his 2003 book, Timeless Beauty: In the Arts and Everyday Life, British author John Lane writes about the loss of the appreciation for beauty in the modern world. The experiment at L'Enfant Plaza may be symptomatic of that, he said -- not because people didn't have the capacity to understand beauty, but because it was irrelevant to them.

"This is about having the wrong priorities," Lane said.

If we can't take the time out of our lives to stay a moment and listen to one of the best musicians on Earth play some of the best music ever written; if the surge of modern life so overpowers us that we are deaf and blind to something like that -- then what else are we missing?


my comment...It is a sad thing that we have lost.
Thanks for posting the article.

[The Backlash Cometh]

9. The Celtic cross.

Anyone, please correct me if I've got this wrong.

I became a fan of the Celtic cross when I discovered its meaning. It looks like a Christian Cross, but I do believe that it predates the crucification. What it stands for is balance and harmony. That always struck me that one symbol could mean the same thing. A Christian, if he does indeed follow the teachings of Christ, finds balance and harmony.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

4. Very interesting piece. Thank you for the link.

I forwarded this to a couple of people who I also think will enjoy the observations relayed in the article.

[silverweb]

5. Wonderful.

K&R.

I've always appreciated street performers, but will never look at them in the same way again. Sent to everyone on my list -- with my own commentary.

:thumbsup:

[Hekate]

6. Poignant.I could identify with both the hurriers & the few who were mesmerized.

I love live soloists -- good ones -- and sometimes have just stopped in my tracks to listen. But I have also worked at jobs where I was always under the gun of being just a hair late getting there, really pissing off the boss. You can't stop and listen on the way to work...

Now I have to go find a Joshua Bell CD! :-)

Hekate

[librechik]

7. omg--don't know whether to laugh or cry at this

i'm an artist and 30 yrs ago I did performance art in bus stations and train stations. Things have changed, and not for the better.

there is no art without audience. The fascist onslaught has made us ashamed to enjoy and react. Do you think the same thing would have happened in Paris? London? Moscow?

kill me now.

[democrank]

8. Wonderful piece.

Thanks.

[oscarmitre]

10. Thank you n/t

[Karenina]

11. As soon as I read the second sentence

I knew it had to be Joshua. Non-descript, indeed! He is SERIOUSLY GORGEOUS! The article made me cry and continues to dredge up the darkest feelings of despair. I only wish they had conducted their experiment at the EVENING rush hour. I console myself with the thought that the outcome would likely have been MUCH different... :cry::cry::cry:

[Telly Savalas]

16. That's why this experiment is bullshit.

Most jobs demand a punctual arrival, and we rubes simply don't have time to stand and gawk at a musician while on the way to work. Call this the cruel rationalizaion of modern life all you want, but I think our sanctimonious friend at the Washington Post would be pissed off if he was waiting at an unattended coffee shop for his morning coffee because the barrista was listening to a musician at distant subway station instead of being at work.

When I lived in Toronto, during my commute there was a guy at a subway station who played some sort of African thumb harp, and the music was profoundly beautiful. But since I didn't have a cushy job like being a feature writer for the Washington Post, I had to be at work and couldn't stop for any length of time. So I'd pause my iPod and listen to him while I waited on the platform for the train. About a third of the time, I'd drop a couple of bucks in his box. So if a hidden camera caught me on a day that I didn't leave any cash, it would appear as if I was part of the cold heartless machine of modernity when in fact I was capturing a couple minutes of bliss. I'm guessing a very large percentage of people waiting on that platform each morning enjoyed the music despite the fact they didn't wave lit cigarette lighters above their heads.

On the flip side, at that same subway station I once witnessed the performance of a string quartet during the evening rush hour. There was a crowd of about 100 people gathered around. The musicians were just college kids, all of whom were grinning from ear-to-ear at this magical moment they'd initiated.

So if anyone wants to discuss "Life Out of Balance", I'd suggest they look at the lives of pretentious composers in their ivory towers who point a finger of accusation at rest of humanity and set it to mind-numbingly repetitive music. Those of us who work real jobs and take public transit to work are getting along just fine.

[Karenina]

21. Thanks, Telly!

What it shows is that the "cogs in the wheel" do NOT have the freedom or luxury to stop for ANYTHING. Especially first thing in the morning on the last day of the week. The author points out that all of the children who passed by were drawn in, but their parental units, operating on "adult time" pulled them past the distraction that would have made them "late." How many would have indulged their children and themselves on the way home on a Friday?

[Lone_Star_Dem]

22. I agree with you re: the evening rush hour would have been different

The one man who did stop to listen did so due to having the 3 minutes to spare. Employers do not care if you were swept away in a sea of beautiful music, they only care if you hit the clock on time.

[Skittles]

71. *SWOON*

[Karenina]

74. His HANDS are also exquisite!!!

Great shot! Thanx!

[wordpix]

90. you'd think at few women would stop to see this gorgeous hunk play his violin

I would have :)

[Skittles]

97. oh, I would have too!

yes INDEED!!! :hi:

[malaise]

12. Superb article

I'm shaking my head in amazement. What have we become as humans when we no longer recognize beauty.

[ThomWV]

13. Jesus! Don't They Have Editors At The Post

Great article my butt. Half of it should have ended up no the floor long before it ever saw ink.

[librechik]

19. givem a break, it's a Sunday Feature

and it's 76 (?) column inches that can't be devoted to Bush's lies and scandals. That's valuable real estate to them!!

[silverweb]

49. Why?

[Kindigger]

14. Wonderful!

Thank you :)

I also have a copy of Koyaanisqatsi somewhere. If you haven't seen it, look it up, it's awesome.

[Swamp Rat]

15. "And here he was, the international virtuoso, sawing away, begging for money."

He wasn't "begging for money." He was working as a busker... and probably was not as entertaining as a professional busker, which is why he didn't get many reactions.

The Chaconne from Bach Partita in D Minor is hard as hell, though. :nopity:

[Karenina]

27. Joshua is an absolutely MESMERIZING performer

and has been since he was a kid! I think the Friday a.m. rush hour set-up invalidates the whole "experiment."

[Swamp Rat]

31. You might be right about the time.

It was a completely unscientific experiment to begin with that garnered no significant results.

Karenina, I am sure he is a great musician, it's just that I found the article a bit pretentious and elitist. Maybe it struck me this way because, even though I have years of performing experience and two degrees in music performance, I have been doing qualitative field research on street musicians for the past couple of years and have grown to respect buskers even if I think they do not 'play' really well. Even the best professional musicians may lack certain skills which attract the passerby. Also, the field of busking does not require Joshua's expertise; it requires other, extra-musical skills... 'people skills'. There are plenty of buskers in the NY subway who earn what Joshua did on a Friday morning. You should hear the musicians that come from Peru who play Andean music. I bet they attract a lot more people than Joshua did. The experiment was completely blown and they ruined the possibility for further research in the near future because now people will look for him, and if Joshua does it again his fame will change the entire dynamic.

Yes, occasionally someone recognizes 'the professional' when s/he is moonlighting as a busker. I got my biggest tip ever when I was playing Bach Suite No. 3 that I arranged for solo classical guitar, across from the Cabildo in Jackson Square. I assume it was dumb luck that someone recognized what I was doing because I now realize that street performers do not have to be superb, highly trained musicians - they need to dynamic in a way that people expect them to be, as street performers. When I was studying in Innsbruck I used to play by the river (altstadt). People used to stop and listen and one lady even commented that I was playing Mozart (an arrangement of Monostatos's aria from Die Zauberflöte - "Das klinget so herrlich")... then again, I was in Austria where there is bound to be an opera fan. :D But if I want to play in New Orleans now, I would likely include some arrangements of tunes by the Neville Brothers, Dr. John, and Professor Longhair. ;)

I have mostly busked in Europe because I found they appreciate classical music a lot more than Americans (because they are more familiar with symphonic music due to significant early exposure), so I agree with the major point made in the article. I just think professional concert musicians should recognize that busking is more than just something a virtuoso could do in one afternoon and expect a significant response. If they were trying to measure the ability of Americans to recognize genius they utterly failed, as no scientific methodology was involved. I maintain Americans recognize genius no more or no less than anyone else.... though, sometimes I find myself thinking otherwise these days. :D

[Karenina]

44. The writer is into that RW "GOTCHA" thang...

VERARSCHUNG is the name of the game, as I posted downthread. His article is dripping with contempt for all of those who pass through that station on their way to put "food on their families." Pretentious doesn't even BEGIN to describe it. You're such a diplomat! ;-)

He says "context matters," refers to Kant, quotes U of P's Prof. Guyer and THEN contradicts him. He disses the Lotto hopefuls standing in line who are not in tune to the "famous musician" in their midst. "HA-HA! YOU LOSE AGAIN! SUCKERS!"

Busking IS INDEED an art unto itself. The street is NOT for the meek. I've only done it under "heavy guard," didgeridoo and English horn duets on the main pedestrian walk. Yes, WE drew crowds, even in competition with the Andeans down the block! I found it quite stressful, except for the kids who were fascinated by the instruments. I cut straws from McD's and showed them how to make them vibrate. My colleague was 6'2" and a hard-core street musician. It was truly a "learning experience" for me.

One X-mas I accompanied "Lance & Donna" on rounds of the restaurants. They are original blues bards. Donna did the "bottling." I had VERY mixed feelings about it, although we were well-received. Then I accompanied Lance in his Santa suit, dressed as a reindeer (sans oboe - too cold, pass me the tambourine) at the X-mas Markt. THAT was it for me. I'm OUTTA HERE!!! It's another world interacting with people in that context, as you well know. Those experiences were an education.

What disturbs me so about this "experiment" was the attempt to pit eclectic against bread-and-butter. Had Joshua been there when Evvie and his mom were returning home, mom may have been relaxed enough to allow the child a one-in-a-lifetime chance to interact with the menschlich, gifted and sweet spirit Joshua embodies.

It's not about "skills" per se, it's about COMMUNICATION on a non-verbal level. The time-frame DISALLOWED that possibility from the git-go. Everyone involved was verarscht and the writer made an ARSCHLOCH of himself.

[Swamp Rat]

45. "it's about COMMUNICATION on a non-verbal level."

You hit the nail on the head! :applause:

When the author referred to Kant my eyes could not stop rolling in my head. :crazy:... :rofl:

By the way, have you seen this thread?:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=604234&mesg_id=604234

We need your input. ;)

[spooky3]

46. I am not trying to argue but want to point out a few things about

Gene Weingarten, since I am a fan of his columns and a WaPo subscriber--I realize most people here probably have never heard of him. He is a humor writer (usually) and his columns appear in the Sunday Magazine. He is most definitely not a RWer. Shrub is a not infrequent target of Weingarten's barbs.

[Karenina]

52. It's NOT about *

It's about that privileged white male default template of superiority.
Tell Gene I'm gunnin' for him with my frying pan. :spank:

[spooky3]

64. haha, I don't know him

but I am staying out of your way! :-) (I guess that's better than fryin' for him with your gun!)

For all I know he could be a DUer and will read your message himself.

There is a feminist named Gina ___ ? who sometimes co-writes columns with him, so it is not the first time he would have been smacked.

(By the way, I was just reacting to your use of "RW".)

[Cetacea]

72. If it were Paul McCartney they'd have at least stopped,

if only for a moment. (Pardon the duplicate post from below).

The problem as I see it is that the Corporate music state dictates who is worthy of our attention and who is not. That notion can be applied across the art spectrum. The article does pose some worthy questions and it was well written, and I thank the poster for sharing it.

[fortyfeetunder]

63. I also think L'Enfant Plaza was a bogus "safe" location

SW DC where L'Enfant Plaza is -- close to several US government headquarters, mostly professional, civil service types. A Boooooooring location, IMHO. After rush hour, that subway stop is a no-person's land, devoid of any significant activity.

I wish if the creators wanted to make this experiment authentic, they should have conducted it at Metro Center station, in the heart of downtown DC.

[ljm2002]

17. The very best endorsement he got...

...was from the shoeshine lady Edna Souza:

"He was pretty good, that guy. It was the first time I didn't call the police."

Priceless!

[annabanana]

18. Amazing article.

It appears we have to be actively receptive to beauty, or it is wasted.

Come, gather ye roses
While life is merry and gay.
Come, gather ye roses
ere they fade away.

We're always making our
Lives so blue.
We look for thorns and we
Find them too.

An leave the violets quite unseen
That grow to cheer the way.

[LZelig]

20. Hi BK.

What do you suppose Bukowski would have done? heh.

[Bukowski Fan]

26. Interesting question

I suppose Bukowski wouldn't have been on his way to work at 7 in the morning. However, if he were, I suppose that he would've quit his job to sit and listen to the music since he was a fan of classical and not a fan of jobs in general.

Some interesting responses. I agree that if this had been evening rush hour, the results would have been much different. But I don't think the author is slamming the people who were on their way to work. It seems to me as though the author was commenting on the Calvinistic approach to work in America. It's not a slam on the "cogs", it's a slam on the "machine" in general.

To me the piece represents how the corporate machinery (yes, the government is a corporation) demands so much of humans, that it is impossible for many us to even twist our heads from the certainty that is right in front of us. Even some of those who recognized the beauty of what was being played only allowed themselves the few minutes they had to spare to listen, lest they be one minute late to work that day.

But I'm not on a high horse here. In fact, I empathized most with the man listening to his ipod who didn't even realize that there was someone playing. That would be me at 7am on my way to work. It does make me take a different perspective on how I rush, rush, rush everyday, everywhere (I can't help it, I'm a native New Yorker). Perhaps I should start taking a few minutes to smell the proverbial roses.

[Karenina]

29. This article was the first thing I read this Easter morning.

It upset and depressed me tremendously, a state I remained in the whole day despite the picture postcard weather. I just re-read the entire 12 pages searching to identify the painful buttons it pushed... :cry:

The author IS slamming the "indifferent" commuters. It starts with the title, "Pearls Before Breakfast." (Swine?)

"Each passerby had a quick choice to make... Do you have time for beauty? Shouldn't you? What's (sic) the moral mathematics of the moment?"

He calls it "an unblinking assessment of public taste" asking if beauty would transcend. No, I call it a craven set-up and ask, to what end?
Does this "experiment" prove the hoi-polloi cannot appreciate the "finer things in life?" And THAT'S just the first 4 paragraphs.

[The Count]

35. Excellent points! The contempt is dripping from the title downwards...

Again, I get to listen to great music between trains all the time in NYC. I give what I have when I get the time. I do appreciate it, but I am there to take the train.
This only shows how removed these people are from real life..."Bell took a taxi to get there". I usually take a train or walk. And do love music, but I would have given him change. And if you think me a swine, keep your pearls for yourself...I don't need throw-downs...Maybe his contempt was showing in his play and that's why people didn't respond. Who knows?
One thing I know: if someone would give me free tickets NOW to see this guy, I'd pass...Art without heart turns me off.

[Karenina]

47. PLEASE, Count! DON'T DISS JOSHUA!!!

It's the WP and their writer (sans editors :eyes: ) who came up with this nonsense. Joshua is a good sport and went along with the idea, not knowing what he was not able to know. Please direct your criticism to Gene Weingarten who got 72 column lines in the WP for his elitist trash.

[Mike Daniels]

84. Without being there myself, how much of the genius of Bell was swallowed up

by the regular noise pollution that exists at any metro stop?

If surrounded by enough dissonance, anything that would normally sound exceptional is going to be diminished in quality.

Also, given that he was performing unfamiliar pieces to begin with, the run of the day commuter isn't going to have any background upon which to judge the performance from any other busker at a station.

I don't need to read the article to know that the general premise was flawed and doesn't really prove anything.

[Karenina]

87. Please do take the time to read it, Mike.

I concur with your conclusion and am incensed at those made by the author. It IS a well-written piece in terms of descriptive style and detail. The content... Well, lets discuss that after you've read it. Roll the description of Evvie around in your brain a bit.

[LZelig]

30. Good answer

Chinaski would've quit for sure. I'm not so sure about Buk. He definitely would've stayed for the whole set though, and dealt with the supervisor later.

I can't picture such musical indifference happening in Europe, at least not in the cities that I have lived in. I think de Tocqueville had it right: Americans are a different breed, the work ethic is overdone here. My guess is that its a vestige of our immigrant parents working their asses off to "start over" in the New World. Millions of lives will begin soon, as soon as there is time and money.

[The Count]

36. BS! I lived in Europe too and the myth of refinement is just that: a myth.

Where do you think American Idol came from?

[Mike Daniels]

82. Thank you for pointing out the roots of AI

Europe, without a doubt, gave birth to a lot of great culture.

It also gave birth to a lot of not so great culture that made it overseas, of which the most predominant at this time is American Idol.

I also don't recall American fans of any sport rioting and beating the shit out of the fans of opposing teams to the extent that seems to occur in the great refined wonderland of Europe.

[Karenina]

33. VERARSCHUNG!!!

I just took a walk in the night air to clear my head and that word came to me. I kept thinking about little Evvie who so wanted his mom to pause just for a moment. She's in White Rabbit mode: NO CAN DO! Evvie got denied and his mom verrarscht. Joshua would have loved this kid dragging his mother over and looking at him with big eyes, maybe even dancing to the music. If NO ONE ELSE had stopped it would likely have made his day. He got verarscht, too. :mad::cry::mad:

I realize my emotional involvement in this issue may seem out of proportion to most. By way of explanation let me just say that the "GOTCHA" politics of D.C. applied to my life's work and passion is simply
unbearable.

[spooky3]

48. I am sorry you feel this way and hope you keep up the passion

The world needs artists like you and others with passion.

I think you are right about the little boy and about how the violinist might have responded.

But I read the tone of the article differently from you. I think the main point he kept emphasizing was the importance of "context"--that in that context people weren't prepared to encounter a brilliant, famous musician and his fabulous violin that many of them would have paid to listen to in a different context. I agree with the other poster that it wouldn't take but a minute to give him a smile and a thumbs up even though they had to get to work-- but they just weren't prepared for such an unusual feature in the environment and didn't realize what was happening. The other thing I think it showed was a social impact effect. Since everyone else was "ignoring" the extraordinary musician, nothing jolted people out of their usual routine-- it was easy to follow that cue and do what everyone else did. If a few people had stopped, pulled out their cellphones and pleaded with their bosses to understand that they would be a bit late, I wonder if a lot more people would have stopped to see what was going on.

[Karenina]

53. GIMME A BREAK!!!

Hello Boss! I know the meeting is at 9:30 and the team that flew in from Ubekistan landed on time but geez, there's this FABULOUS violinist playing in the subway and I'm gonna be a bit late! :rofl:

[Vinnie From Indy]

56. I agree

A butterfly flaps it's wings in the Amazon rain forest and a Cyclone slams Japan. A guy stops to listen to the music in a subway and misses an important meeting and an entire village on the arctic circle is destroyed by locust. Actions have consequences that ripple across the fabric of space and time.

[spooky3]

65. Give ME a break! Many people call in to say they will be a few minutes late

They can't get away with doing it a lot, but if they hit traffic in DC, or have trouble with child care, they DO IT. They may not tell the truth about why, but they do it. I live here; I know what they do as well as you do.

Not everyone has a boss who would fire them the first time they overslept. I am not arguing that all these commuters could have or should have showed up late for work because they wanted to listen to Joshua Bell play. But the opposite extreme- that no one could have called the boss and if they had, they would have gotten fired-- makes no sense either.

[Karenina]

76. Maybe what it shows is the conditioning

of the workplace; that ITS DEMANDS are sacrosanct and only the most "dire" circumstances are legitimate to supercede them. Maybe we also should take into consideration that most of those who passed were civil service, gubmint types, hardly representative of the general public.

Listening and hearing are two very distinct activities. Those whose ears were not plugged by an electronic gadget all heard the music, scant few could indulge the impulse they may have had to LISTEN. The sight of a street musician at a subway stop is NOT ENOUGH in and of itself to interrupt a daily routine. Weingarten dismisses them ALL, referring to them as "ghosts." :shrug:

[wordpix]

91. "conditioning" is right---everyone in this modern mad society is conditioned NOT to smell the roses

This makes me even more down and depressed about saving the environment because that, too, is being destroyed as people hurry by too fast to notice.

[Jacobin]

23. amazing piece

I love Bach

[Straight Shooter]

24. I'm disappointed that people did not at least wave at him or give a "thumbs up."

To be fair, though, if I might offer the idea that the piece he played is rather energetic, so those who are moving fast will keep moving on. Perhaps if he had played a melody that was soft and soothing, it might have drawn more people in.

The wondrous gifts we receive which are never recognized at the time of the giving, we are all guilty of this. :(

[lumberjack_jeff]

25. Like DU 'pragmatists' walking past a Kucinich candidacy.

They lack the 'proper context' to appreciate what they are hearing.

The proper context, of course, is the company of a crowd of fawning sycophants who paid $100 for the right to be there.

"Sure, the musician is okay I suppose, but if he was any good why is there only $30 in his cup? The MSM reports the front-running musicians have each raised $24 million." /snark

[otohara]

28. Not Surprising

considering people were rushing off to catch their train or be late to work. I would hope I would have been one of the few to stop and listen because of my love for classical music.

Thanks for posting

[Karenina]

55. I can honestly say, I would NOT have stopped

had it meant risking my commuter connection. Anyway NONE of the buskers or street performers I know would even CONSIDER dealing with early morning commuters. :freak:

[The Count]

32. Glad he didn't name it "Pearls before Swine". There's a lot of talent out there

In NYC, they have to be licensed to play in the subway - and usually very talented people do play. Dunno about "geniuses" but I know one or two virtuoso violonists that regularly play in the subway...The tragedy is that there's not enough showcasing of that talent...If the conclusion is "people have no taste" - I'll say - shame on Bell & friends for the whole stunt. As I said, many of the musicians playing in the street are possibly just as good, but unemployed, or without a job in their chosen field. So, spare me the snobbery...

[NormanYorkstein]

34. Perhaps we underestimate the quality of average street musicians?

I'm sure the guy is a great genius and all but there are lots of talented subway musicians. I wish there were more of them, they are a great "lift" on the daily commute. I especially like the gospel singers.

[The Count]

37. Exactly. he is not THAT different from the talent out there.

Unless you take into account the arrogance.

[NormanYorkstein]

41. lol I couldn't agree more

plus your sign line is hilarious.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

58. Bell doesn't sound arrogant to me...

For this incognito performance, Bell had only one condition for participating. The event had been described to him as a test of whether, in an incongruous context, ordinary people would recognize genius. His condition: "I'm not comfortable if you call this genius." "Genius" is an overused word, he said: It can be applied to some of the composers whose work he plays, but not to him. His skills are largely interpretive, he said, and to imply otherwise would be unseemly and inaccurate.

"When you play for ticket-holders," Bell explains, "you are already validated. I have no sense that I need to be accepted. I'm already accepted. Here, there was this thought: What if they don't like me? What if they resent my presence . . ."

Not that arrogance doesn't exist; but it can be found in buskers as much as musicians with a steady, benefits-paying gig.

I get the feeling that Mr Bell has a healthy respect for the elements of luck that have helped him get where he is today, and appreciates them.

[Subdivisions]

38. Absolutely incredible! What a great piece...too bad

that it's symptomatic of how busy our lives have gotten that 99% of those who passed by were too stressed and self-absorbed that they couldn't let the beauty of the moment intrude on their morning.

[tbyg52]

39. If you love something but choose not to do it professionally, it's not a waste.

Because, you know, you still have it. You have it forever.

(My favorite quote from the story.)

[Karenina]

51. THAT was the line that maxed me out.

I never got "practical" and refused all entreaties to "give it up," have collected many "firsts and onlys" gone where no oboist has gone before... I took the road less taken. NOW WHERE THE HELL AM I? Have IT forever? Have WHAT forever? The IT is only something that occurs in the present moment!

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

40. That was, indeed, a fascinating article.

Many thanks. K&R.

[Patsy Stone]

42. Thanks

I'm glad someone posted it here. Everyone should take a look.

[Jcrowley]

43. Disturbing

The Machine smothers beauty.

[silverweb]

50. I got some great feedback.

Sent this article to some people and heard back from a few already. Recurring themes in their comments are (paraphrased by me):

(1) appreciating the Now;

(2) having a sense of wonder and appreciation for what is right in front of us at any given time and place; and

(3) lamenting the driven lives so many people endure, which forces them to live in the moments-from-now future that is swept away the moment it becomes the Now, so they keep missing it.

Call it corny, but for me this article renewed the awareness that a sense of wonder and beauty, and an "attitude of gratitude" in daily life is at the heart of one's own happiness.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

54. A few random thoughts...

1) "Max Bruch's dour Violin Concerto in G Minor"
Dour??? :eyes:
Gene needs to listen to that concerto a few more times if all he got out of it was dour.

2) If I had a Strad; there's no way in hell that I would play it in a Metro station unless I had barbed wire around me.

3) I wonder if he wouldn't have received more attention at the Foggy Bottom/GWU Metro station, which is closer to Lisner Auditorium, the Kennedy Center, and an open-minded student population, rather than a bunch of people who are stressed about getting to work on time.

4) $32.17/45 minutes is about what I'd make in a recording session of music for schools.

5) I wish I'd been there!

[Karenina]

77. On random thought #2

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

You KNOW Joshua had to be accompanied by an armed guard!!!

[GoddessOfGuinness]

79. Have you seen these Accord kevlar cases?

It's good to know we can keep our instruments safe from shrapnel and such.

[Karenina]

80. A friend could have used one of them back in the day.

He was forced to check his priceless cello, they wouldn't let him buy a seat. When he picked it up at baggage the ENTIRE NECK OF THE HARDENED CASE had been sawed clean through. :eyes:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

81. SAWED?

What the hell? It sounds like they take sport in destrying instruments!

[Karenina]

86. It was a clean cut.

So clean that the (then) 2 parts were stacked so neatly that he only became aware of the condition when he grabbed the neck to pick it up.

[Mike Daniels]

83. One additional thought working off point 3

I'd like to what the result would have been had he been performing in an open space that was near a commuting point but not in the middle of it.

Given the recent mishaps and delays experienced by the DC Metro lately, once I was actually in the general station area I don't know that I would have paused to listen to any performer esp. if I knew a train was approaching the platform.

If I was somewhat removed from the station I'd be more likley to take the time and listen to someone performing.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

88. Good point...

When I prepare to board a metro train, I tense up. I guess it's a little like going with the flow of traffic. All I focus on is getting from here to there. And when the ride's over, all I want to do is get as far away from the station as possible, as quickly as I can.

And I don't ride Metro very often...

[orleans]

57. interesting quote from the person who recognized him:

"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?"


it really is too bad they didn't try this when people were heading home from work. however, it is still amazing to think that out of over 1,000 people only a handful stopped to smell the roses.

and if you chalk it up to people being stressed and majorly pressed for time in the morning--what does that say (in and of itself--that it is SO FUCKING CRUCIAL to not be late for work you can't take the time to take a fucking breath.)


this article lets me appreciate the fact that i am not/nor have i ever been one of the morning commuters. and it reminds me of the empathy i have for them. (my father took the train into chicago forever and for a swirl of reasons i always found it extremely depressing)

[NormanYorkstein]

59. quarters are real money; getting to work on time means you keep your job

[GoddessOfGuinness]

60. It IS sad, and indicative of how

stressed out, overworked, and anal-retentive many of us Washingtonians are. Anyone who wants to dispute that should take a trip around the Beltway sometime.

Of course, the fact that we've had a huge influx of boorish, anti-arts RW lobbyist-types in the last 10 years doesn't help one little bit.

[Lost-in-FL]

61. Excellent read

Thank you!

[LiberalHeart]

62. LOVED the article. Thank you.

[lala_rawraw]

66. darn it... why does this never happen to me...

the man is a brilliant violinist, a stunning poet, incredible to look at, passionate, and wearing a hat and no one notices him? are they out of their minds. even if i did not know who he was, i would have stopped. but the music alone would have stopped me for Christ sake. i would have plopped on the floor in front of him, even i had no clue who this man was. Ave Maria played on a Strad, even if you had no clue who he was, what he was playing, or that he was playing it on a Strad... if that did not stop you, dear god, we are all lost.

[Karenina]

73. HI Lala!!!

Holding you next to my heart!!! GREAT to see you!!! :loveya:

[lala_rawraw]

75. thank you:)

:D

[wordpix]

92. well, lala, at least there are people like you at DU to keep our hopes up

:loveya:

[Rainscents]

67. Incredible story!

[DemReadingDU]

68. Fascinating!

I wonder if the experiment would have been done on a leisurely Saturday or Sunday, would more people have taken the tine to stop and listen? Being on the weekend there are less people, but perhaps they have the time to stop to listen.

[Skittles]

69. I thank you for posting this

a truly fascinating read :thumbsup:

[Cetacea]

70. they would have stopped if it were a tabloid celebrity

Say, Spare Britney or someone of that ilk. Great read, though I do think the experiment was flawed to some degree.

[dogday]

78. A Rare Opportunity indeed

I enjoyed the article, thanks :hi:

[supernova]

85. Former DC area worker here

I lived around DC and worked there for six years in the late 80s and early 90s. This seems pretty typical to me of the kind of responses you'd get. Occasionally there were people playing in the Metro, but not often; Metro police didn't really like people hanging around, even for the arts' sake.

My morning commute lasted for about an hour and 15 minutes from Prince George's County MD to doentown DC (CT Ave and K St)

Mostly I just wanted to get to my desk and start my day. I was a lowly staff assistant and so I know how wearning it is to get to the office late.

Still, while I might not have recognized Joshua Bell, I might have stopped to listen. I used to either at lunch or on my way home when musicians would play. I tried to give them something when I did have extra cash from my meagre SA salary.

Funny, while I might not have recognized Joshua Bell right off the bat, I would have stopped to listen to the beautiful instrument. I recognize quality workmanship! ;-)

edit: Oops, I almost forgot the point that caused me to write this post. :P L'Enfant Plaza, for those who've never experienced DC up close and personal is the stop for most of the Fed Gov't employees. Off hours, nobody would be caught dead around there. So that might have something to do with it.

[Karenina]

93. Please think this through again.

In REALITY.

"Mostly I just wanted to get to my desk and start my day. I was a lowly staff assistant and so I know how wearning it is to get to the office late."

I know you would like to think you would have paused, AS SO MANY WOULD!!!
No self-respecting busker targets the a.m rush hour crowd, it's an exercise in futility. Grab your spot in time for the lunchtime crowd.

Not only would I have recognized what I was hearing from afar, I'd have recognized the face and STILL continued on to catch my train, cursing my fate, in order to be on time and keep my own life afloat.

THAT aspect is what angers me so much about this "experiment" and the bullshit "conclusions" drawn from it.

[supernova]

94. I'm not really sure

what you are complaining about in my post. :shrug:

I agree that the experiment itself is slightly bogus because of the premise. But I do think I would have stopped to listen if only breifly, even if I didn't know precisely who I was listening to at that moment. Because I'm a person who does that. I know the value of NOW.

I'm not sure what about that irritates you.

[Karenina]

95. No irritation or complaint on my part...

Our written medium here often excludes the cues that allow us space to really understand each other. I was just pressing you to reconsider your "woulda" more carefully in light of the broad-brush dismissal the January 12 commuters received from the author of the piece. Can you identify with them?

[supernova]

96. "Can you identify with them..."

Me personally? No. And that's part of the reason I no longer live there. I didn't want to become one and I could see it happening to me if I *didn't* move to where I know life is lived on a much more humane scale.

BUT, I can easily see how it happened. edit: Just to be more clear - I think it's the situation, rather than the people. IOW, you could have a different set of people and a different artist and still come up with a similar result.

[Karenina]

98. I completely agree!

Nothing stops the Daily Morning Commute short of a jack-knifed truck, 3 feet of snow or a major power outage. :hi:

[wordpix]

89. THANK YOU! I was born & reared in DC & it's become a very rude place in many ways

This was truly a remarkable idea and article. Pass it on.

[Terri S]

99. It was rush hour!!!

I don't know DC, but I know NY subways intimately. People are rushing to get to the train. 2 minutes delay could mean an hour late for work if you have connecting trains to catch, and unfortunately that is a luxury most people who take public transit can't afford to make. I lived a 15 minute drive from my home in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Not having a car, I had to go up to almost Manhattan, run to the other side of the platform and take another line back down to get to work. It took 1 1/2 hours IF I didn't miss the connection. You want to make this test a real example of people's appreciation for beautiful music, do it other than at rush hour with people trying to make a living.

I don't know DC. I do know NY. I've heard AMAZING musicians in subway stations, and seen street performers completely fill the sidewalks. I knew a guy who showed up after work every day down in the bowels where the trains arrived and departed .. he played guitar and sang, no open guitar case or can for money..wouldn't accept any..he just loved doing it. He played until the train came and then wished everyone a great night and safe ride home. Until that train came the packed platform danced and applauded and sang along. He may not have been a world renowned musician but NYers know heart when they hear it..and there was never a lack of appreciation that I ever saw. I never saw him before work..maybe he knew people were in too big a rush to really enjoy the music. And I never saw a lack of appreciation for the musicians that did show up for the morning commute..even if it was a quick dance and thumbs-up rushing to the train.

I've only been gone 3 years, but I doubt it's changed much, if any. And in the myriad of things I desperately miss.. the street performers may be what I miss most.

[Karenina]

100. Loved your post!