Do we appreciate talent? Take the time to listen.. A true Story

[deleted] · 2009-08-19T13:44:37+00:00

violinist playing in a train Station... He played six Bach pieces for about 60 minutes. During that time approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. 3 minutes A middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule. 4 minutes The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping, continued to walk. 6 minutes A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again. 10 minutes A three year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly, as the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced them to move on. 45 minutes The musician played. Only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. 1 hour He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition. This is a real story. The Washington Post, as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities, arranged the entire scenario. Playing incognito, no one knew the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days prior to this, Joshua Bell sold out a theatre in Boston where the tickets averaged $100 per seat. In a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty; do we stop to appreciate it? do we recognize talent in such an unexpected context? If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments. How many other things do we miss?

Bob-Dubery

singemonkey wrote
It would be cool to get Steve Newman at an open mic night again, but just introduce him as "Steve" and without any fanfare. Would the reception be any different?
Not much, for the reasons you mentioned. The context is right. People are there to listen and, to an extent, evaluate. They have the time, and the relaxation. They're not going to miss the jaw-dropping skillz.

OK... so we give him a false moustache and glasses and introduce him as "Fred Bloggs" ?

Also, there's a Joni Mitchell song about this - something about how she demands all this money and recognition while the one man band on the something, something, played his clarinet for free.

And there was some sitcom I saw in which the highly trained jazz players, on the brink of penury from their lack of success busking in the subway, suck it up and start doing John Denver songs - and are showered in money.

There's a story about Louis Armstrong. His manager comes into his dressing room before a show, as Satchmo is warming up.
Manager: "What's that?"
Armstrong:"Debussy."
Manager: "Well if you want to be an artist then practice that. If you want to be rich then practice 'Hello Dolly'."

singemonkey

Oh yeah. I love that story. And of course he could elevate Hello Dolly to the level of Debussy. ?

Bob-Dubery

singemonkey wrote Oh yeah. I love that story. And of course he could elevate Hello Dolly to the level of Debussy. ?

Somewhere in youtubeland there is a clip of Richard Thompson doing "Oops! I Did It Again."

singemonkey

X-rated Bob wrote
singemonkey wrote Oh yeah. I love that story. And of course he could elevate Hello Dolly to the level of Debussy. ?
Somewhere in youtubeland there is a clip of Richard Thompson doing "Oops! I Did It Again."

Travis's famous cover of Hit Me Baby One More Time, only serves to show the craftsmanship that goes into professional song-writing. Sung by Travis, a double-meaning appears. Is the song actually about domestic violence? ???

It's a clever song, man. I think it was written by a Swedish song-writing house.

Tamago

Do people of this modern life appreciate music? Hell no. Most people are being sucked into this computer-generated no-talent-whatsoever one-hit teenybopper crap and call that "music" and worse still, think it is the best thing since sliced bread. It is kind of like listening to "Barbie Girl" and proclaiming them to be musical geniuses when in fact, without their trusty computer running synth software and modified patches set up by a professional they paid to do, they are nothing but the useless yobs they've always been.

I frequently attend gigs of many local and international artists (time permitting) what I am seeing is that, it is predominantly the older crowd going to these shows, and what is more, people who really appreciate and understand music to some extent. Some of the stupid people are still present at these things but that is because they are in love with said pop star or whatever, but in the main, people seem to love the songs.

I have a deep love of music and I will be honest, I spend several months analyzing a song, especially how it is put together musically. I have been doing this for years, and while we can all argue that I should have gone to music school sooner, the main thing is, better late than never.

Bob-Dubery

Tamago wrote I frequently attend gigs of many local and international artists (time permitting) what I am seeing is that, it is predominantly the older crowd going to these shows, and what is more, people who really appreciate and understand music to some extent. Some of the stupid people are still present at these things but that is because they are in love with said pop star or whatever, but in the main, people seem to love the songs.

Oh I dunno.

Last year the Better 5/8 and I had the pleasure (and it WAS a pleasure) of attending the Beverley Folk Festival in Beverley, East Yorkshire. This is a very rootsy festival - nearly exclusively acoustic, and a fair sprinking of grey hair up on the stage. So you get a sprinkling of grey hair in the ticket queues as well, but also a lot of kids with funny hats, skateboards and ridiculous trousers and quite a few teens pitching tents in the camping area. We saw some of them hollering along to Bruce Molksy (fab folk banjo/fiddle/guitar player from New York state) and The Coal Porters (US expats based in London and offering acoustic country/rock).

The year before we were up in Cumbria. Richard Thompson was topping the bill at that festival. OK... so I wasn't too surprised when a lot of kids got up and shook their bootys to Chambawamba - the act preceding Thompson, and they were much more folky and acoustic than I'd expected. However they stuck around for Thompson's set as well. There were a whole bunch of them dancing and swigging cider in the aisles, I'd have put them at late teens to early 20s, and they knew every song and every line of every song and danced and hollered until the end (and he played over an hour and a half).

I'm sure that Kylie Minogue - who was playing the 02 Arena the same weekend as we were at the Beverley Festival - got a bigger crowd, and more kids, but I don't think that "computer-generated no-talent-whatsoever one-hit teenybopper crap" and youth are inseparable.

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