[kazlx]

Old story, but I came across it and thought it was interesting. Short story...a famous violinist (if you know violinists, I guess) Joshua Bell went incognito in a DC subway and played for free for 45 minutes on a Stradivarius that he reportedly paid $3.5 million for. This is normally a gentleman that sells out venues and he collected a little over $32.

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

 

[stoney]

Was posted a few weeks back.

 

[kazlx]

Apparently, I don't read every thread on here

 

[ultraNoob]

Either my attention span is minuscule or that article went off track a few times.

 

[jackalope]

What really would've been interesting is if he was on a 29'er.

 

[Icantdrive65]

I was walking downtown a few months ago and heard a jazz trio playing outside of a coffee shop. They were pretty good. An audience of about ten was watching. I would have stayed to listen, but my wife wanted to go. She does not appreciate jazz.

As we walk around the corner, there is a rock band playing 60s-70s style rock. Almost Wolfmother style, but not as good. They had a crowd of about 100 gathered around. My wife even stopped for a minute to listen.

Oh well...

 

[Westy]

Marketing failure.
-target market isn't on the subway
-people are typically happy to get thing for free
-people pay for music largely for the full experience and that doesn't typically include a subway.

 

[mandown]

http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/music/a/violinist_metro.htm

Circulating since: Dec. 2008

i think i saw it on friendster.

 

[stevew]

-people pay for music largely for the full experience and that doesn't typically include a subway.

the stench of piss/vomit can add to the overall ambiance.....

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

the stench of piss/vomit can add to the overall ambiance.....

It's not a punk show.

 

[binary visions]

http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/music/a/violinist_metro.htm


i think i saw it on friendster.

You had to look up the (incorrect) date? The date on the article that was posted is April 2007.

I read the article way back when it was posted. While what Westy says is true, I still find it slightly astounding that nobody stopped to listen. The guy is amazing, and street musicians are often not that good - I can't believe only a tiny handful of people were actually caught up.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

You had to look up the (incorrect) date? The date on the article that was posted is April 2007.

I read the article way back when it was posted. While what Westy says is true, I still find it slightly astounding that nobody stopped to listen. The guy is amazing, and street musicians are often not that good - I can't believe only a tiny handful of people were actually caught up.

Bucket drummers in Boston > that guy.

 

[mandown]

You had to look up the (incorrect) date? The date on the article that was posted is April 2007.

I read the article way back when it was posted. While what Westy says is true, I still find it slightly astounding that nobody stopped to listen. The guy is amazing, and street musicians are often not that good - I can't believe only a tiny handful of people were actually caught up.

It smells of urban legend, so I checked to see if it was. Oddly, it is true. It is also crazy old for internet fluff, and floating around my Facebook friends like mad.

The piece he was playing was noted as complex or intricate, so it probably sounded like he was running scales. People in subways like melodies and grooves, not inverted F#sus16 arpeggio runs.

 

[binary visions]

I don't think the Washington Post is frequently writing multi-page pieces on urban legends complete with video and interviews

Give a listen to a couple of the videos. It definitely didn't sound like scales, even to a casual observer. I'm not saying everyone should appreciate it, just that I can't believe there weren't more than a half dozen people out of all of those going past who couldn't even identify a highly talented musician. I mean, it's probably not primarily the classical music set going through there, but I would expect people with musical training of any kind to at least be able to pick up on the fact that the guy sounded amazing.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

I don't think the Washington Post is frequently writing multi-page pieces on urban legends complete with video and interviews

Give a listen to a couple of the videos. It definitely didn't sound like scales, even to a casual observer. I'm not saying everyone should appreciate it, just that I can't believe there weren't more than a half dozen people out of all of those going past who couldn't even identify a highly talented musician. I mean, it's probably not primarily the classical music set going through there, but I would expect people with musical training of any kind to at least be able to pick up on the fact that the guy sounded amazing.

I'm far from classically trained, and have been playing guitar for ~12 years (read: amateur garage band level playing), and it just sounded like any ordinary violin playing to me. However, I'd like to think I have a slightly better understanding of music than the average person. I think you have to have at least an elementary understanding of violin/classical music to appreciate it, not just music in general.

 

[mandown]

I don't think the Washington Post is frequently writing multi-page pieces on urban legends complete with video and interviews

Give a listen to a couple of the videos. It definitely didn't sound like scales, even to a casual observer. I'm not saying everyone should appreciate it, just that I can't believe there weren't more than a half dozen people out of all of those going past who couldn't even identify a highly talented musician. I mean, it's probably not primarily the classical music set going through there, but I would expect people with musical training of any kind to at least be able to pick up on the fact that the guy sounded amazing.

didn't go to the link, i just recognized the story from all the FB posts i've seen. i just checked it out. it sounds nice, but not special. this dude also played at 7:51 am. people are on their way to work. at that hour, i'm not stopping for anything short of an old-fashioned. perhaps it just goes to show that this music isn't all that awesome; it is DWG 1% music.

 

[ultraNoob]

I enjoy classical music. I think it wasn't necessarily the use of the violin in this instance or the skill of the violinist, but the indifference of the passers by could be attributed to the piece he played. Yes it is beautiful, yes it sounded amazing, yes it was played perfectly, but it may have been too complex and unfamiliar for non classical music ears.

Had he played a more familiar piece, say Canon in D. I'm sure he would have garnered a larger audience.

 

[mandown]

i'll just leave this right here

 

[jasride]

I saw this being posted on facebook. Probably fare better playing on the sinking Titanic than the subway system at that time of day. Hope he doesn't just quit playing over the shunning he endured.

 

[pnj]

I remember when that happened, I heard it on NPR or something.

My thought was, "who cares if it's a billion dollar instrument?, it's not the correct target audience!!!"

also, the genre the guy is playing is all but dead....

 

[jasride]

It's like flat land bmx freestyle.
Technical, graceful, intricate, hard as hell to master, not everyone can do it.
Put a freestyler in the subway lobby, may get the same results.
Only difference is the flatlander isn't selling out concert venues either.
thought I had a point for a minute.

 

[UNHrider]

I'd like to think I'd stop and take the time to listen for a couple minutes at least, but don't know if I would in the same situation.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

I always found these guys way more entertaining/intriguing: