Joshua Bell at the Washington Metro

[Mat]

An amazing experiment took place at the Washington metro. I heard about it soon after it had been conducted (which was quite a long time ago),
but never got the chance to read the article about it. Untill now.

For those of you who might have not read it yet:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...040401721.html

Would you have stopped to listen?

[Albert]

I would like to think that I would have stopped, but I cannot say for sure in all honesty.

[GoneBaroque]

I probably not have recognized him but I would have stopped to listen. Nothing that happens in Washington surprises me.

[JHC]

I can't get onto your link Mat but I think I know what it is I saw him interviewed on TV about it, perhaps people were too occupied with their own thoughts at the time and half of them wouldn't know what decent music was let alone a Violin

[Mat]

Never been to Washington, Rob, but if this isn't surprising, then what else happens there?

[teddy]

Thanks Mat, A fascinating article. And when you think that when The Beatles gave an impromptu concert on a rooftop in London, the police had to move pedestrians and traffic on, and demand that they stop playing, it does make you wonder.

teddy.

[Krummhorn]

As a musician myself, I would have stopped to listen ...

In fact, when I was in London in 2010, there was a Sax player in one of the tunnels leading down to the "tube". The acoustics there also complemented his playing ability, which was excellent. We stopped for about 10 minutes to listen as others hustled by without any pause or appreciation for this musician.

[teddy]

Curcumstances allowing I will always listen to street musicians, provied that they can play, and I will generally make a drop. We get quite a few in Canterbury ranging from good to abysmal. I don't care what instruments or music they play as lond as it is entertaining.

teddy

[marval]

I like listening to musicians in the street. I used to hear many on the underground when I worked in London. We have quite a few here, as Teddy says some good some not so good. Occasionally there is a classical guitarist, he always dresses very well and his playing is superb. At the bottom of the main street is a bandstand, I have heard some lovely jazz there.


Margaret

[JHC]

We get a lot of youngsters perhaps grade 2 or 3 Violin mostly they do it to get used to playing in front of people and if they can get a few $$ all well and good