[Eug]

Pearls Before Breakfast - washingtonpost.com

Leonard Slatkin, music director of the National Symphony Orchestra, was asked the same question. What did he think would occur, hypothetically, if one of the world's great violinists had performed incognito before a traveling rush-hour audience of 1,000-odd people?

"Let's assume," Slatkin said, "that he is not recognized and just taken for granted as a street musician . . . Still, I don't think that if he's really good, he's going to go unnoticed. He'd get a larger audience in Europe . . . but, okay, out of 1,000 people, my guess is there might be 35 or 40 who will recognize the quality for what it is. Maybe 75 to 100 will stop and spend some time listening."

So, a crowd would gather?

"Oh, yes."

And how much will he make?

"About $150."

Thanks, Maestro. As it happens, this is not hypothetical. It really happened.

"How'd I do?"

We'll tell you in a minute.

"Well, who was the musician?"

Joshua Bell.

"NO!!!"

A onetime child prodigy, at 39 Joshua Bell has arrived as an internationally acclaimed virtuoso. Three days before he appeared at the Metro station, Bell had filled the house at Boston's stately Symphony Hall, where merely pretty good seats went for $100. Two weeks later, at the Music Center at Strathmore, in North Bethesda, he would play to a standing-room-only audience so respectful of his artistry that they stifled their coughs until the silence between movements. But on that Friday in January, Joshua Bell was just another mendicant, competing for the attention of busy people on their way to work.



Three minutes went by before something happened. Sixty-three people had already passed when, finally, there was a breakthrough of sorts. A middle-age man altered his gait for a split second, turning his head to notice that there seemed to be some guy playing music. Yes, the man kept walking, but it was something.

A half-minute later, Bell got his first donation. A woman threw in a buck and scooted off. It was not until six minutes into the performance that someone actually stood against a wall, and listened.

Things never got much better. In the three-quarters of an hour that Joshua Bell played, seven people stopped what they were doing to hang around and take in the performance, at least for a minute. Twenty-seven gave money, most of them on the run -- for a total of $32 and change. That leaves the 1,070 people who hurried by, oblivious, many only three feet away, few even turning to look.

No, Mr. Slatkin, there was never a crowd, not even for a second.

It was all videotaped by a hidden camera. You can play the recording once or 15 times, and it never gets any easier to watch.

[Atheist]

Well... how many people stopped? How much money did he make?

[Laminar]

There's a link there, you know. Not to mentioned quoted text.

[design219]

I heard that story on NPR a week or so ago. I didn't surpise me a bit. Some street musicians are really extremely talented and are hardly noticed. Famous violinist are not famous to the masses. Most people could not name a current astronaut until the crazy one made news in Florida. Many would not be able to identify their own Senator.

[Eug]

Originally Posted by Atheist 

Well... how many people stopped? How much money did he make?

In the three-quarters of an hour that Joshua Bell played, seven people stopped what they were doing to hang around and take in the performance, at least for a minute. Twenty-seven gave money, most of them on the run -- for a total of $32 and change. That leaves the 1,070 people who hurried by, oblivious, many only three feet away, few even turning to look.

~1100 people: 27 gave money, 7 stopped. He made 32 bucks.

[Dakarʒ]

I'm not surprised. Why would anyone care?

[design219]

I don't see the link, but go to NPR.org and search for the story.

[Atheist]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

There's a link there, you know. Not to mentioned quoted text.

He must have edited his original post... when I first looked at it here was no link and the post was shorter.

[Eug]

Originally Posted by Atheist 

He must have edited his original post... when I first looked at it here was no link and the post was shorter.

Yeah, I added the link and the last blurb at the same time you posted your message.

[mdc]

That's kinda sad, but you know what, I can't say I'd would've stopped to listen, or had any idea who he was.
I hope I would be able to tell that his music was better than the violinist that I pass on the way to my parking garage.

[design219]

I'm kind of suprised this wasn't a multi-million dollar government funded study. But then the results would have probably been inconclusive.

[besson3c]

Joshua Bell has signed on with the Indiana University School of Music as a faculty member starting in the Fall semester...

Pretty cool, this means I'll get to hear him in the Fall!

[SpaceMonkey]

Seriously, I'm supposed to stop and listen during rush hour just because he's good? I'm probably late for work!

[besson3c]

This is a great experiment, because it provides evidence to the idea that perceived worth of something is based on its price, scarcity, and the value others place on it. If it's free, it must not really have much value, right?

[gururafiki]

I bet a good percentage of those people had iPods on and could not hear him play.

[- - e r i k - -]

This is a poor experiment. Did they REALLY expect anything different? On the way to the subway people are tired, stressed and zoned out. If they even notice the music playing, it would probably in that state of mind not even register as anything else than a street musician, no matter how good the performance. What with the noise and other distractions.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - - 

This is a poor experiment. Did they REALLY expect anything different? On the way to the subway people are tired, stressed and zoned out. If they even notice the music playing, it would probably in that state of mind not even register as anything else than a street musician, no matter how good the performance. What with the noise and other distractions.

I think that was actually the entire point of this experiment. Given all of the distractions and reasons not to listen, would people notice that it's good? How would you suggest they redo the experiment? Put him in a concert hall in front of people that chose to attend and sit and listen completely undistracted? That would be a concert.

[SSharon]

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - - 

This is a poor experiment. Did they REALLY expect anything different? On the way to the subway people are tired, stressed and zoned out. If they even notice the music playing, it would probably in that state of mind not even register as anything else than a street musician, no matter how good the performance. What with the noise and other distractions.

the few times I have stopped to listen (usually at the airport where it is quiet) it was because it was a type of music I wasn't familiar with. I wouldn't stop for someone playing an overplayed piece of classical though.

and FTA
"During the 40 minutes he played, Bell says only seven people stopped to listen — and only one person recognized him. He earned $59 — if you include the $20 the woman who recognized him left."

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

I think that was actually the entire point of this experiment. Given all of the distractions and reasons not to listen, would people notice that it's good? How would you suggest they redo the experiment? Put him in a concert hall in front of people that chose to attend and sit and listen completely undistracted? That would be a concert.

Nope. But in a subway people have a purpose, and with that comes focus and time-constraints.

The experiment should rather have been done in a busy city square as a regular busker.

[Mithras]

I would say that seven people stopping their commute to listen is pretty good, considering it was done during the morning rush hour.

In the afternoon, I'd think people would be more likely to stop and listen, since they have a spouse and dog waiting for them rather than a boss.

[::maroma::]

At the very least, its a great lesson in humility. I'm not saying that he needed the lesson, but something like that would definitely give some people some perspective on their fame and notoriety.

[Atomic Rooster]

They would have noticed Ashley MacIsaac.