930 Forums
=> GENERAL DISCUSSION => Topic started by: HoyaSaxa03 on April 07, 2007, 11:35:00 pm
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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. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html?hpid=topnews)
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good article. i read it in the post saturday morning, but the link is a better since it provides video clips.
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Very interesting concept and examination. I only wish there was a video showing the whole thing.
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Weingarten is a great writer when he isn't doing that "humor" column. His article on The Great Zucchini (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/18/AR2006011801434.html) (children's magician) is one of the best magazine articles I've ever read.
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Actually, this doesn't surprise me in the very least although I would have expected a few more heads turning while rushing to catch a train so as not to be late for work.
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Actually, this doesn't surprise me in the very least although I would have expected a few more heads turning while rushing to catch a train so as not to be late for work.
Very few people would be catching a train at L'Enfant in the morning. L'Enfant would be their destination. They would only be choosing to be a few minutes late for work.
I hope he wins something for this article. You are correct about the Great Zuchini piece. He really is a great writer. His chats at the Post Online are usually great as well. He has been on a break for a few months, though. They are usually half humor analysis and half advice column. He isn't as funny as he is intelligent and witty.
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And his books are great. Loved the article, next they should get Chuck Brown out there with the kids with the plastic buckets. Wonder how that would do.
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someone just sent me the link to this article and it blew me away... i was about to post it here, glad i checked first.
made me kinda sad. modern life getting in the way of beauty.
highly recommended reading (although kinda long, i'm now way behind on my work :) )
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I'm kind of surprised that so many connoisseurs of rock music are taken with the article, which seems kind of snobby to me--though I like Weingarten, too. The difference between a journeyman violinist and a virtuoso player is not so huge that random passersby would "get it."
All it tells me is that most people don't care about classical music. Surprise!
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im not sure im all that surprised that more people didn't notice him. there are plenty of musicians (granted not always of that caliber) that play in Grand Central and Times Square. And while I may 'notice' them, I'm usually in such a hurry (read: late) that I just pretty much run on by.
If I did have the time, there are a few occasions where I'd have liked to have listened. I usually stop after work to listen to them, especially since I'm rarely in a rush to get anywhere.
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Or that people who do care about classical music aren't typically government workers who take public transportation.
Originally posted by dfmcpete:
I'm kind of surprised that so many connoisseurs of rock music are taken with the article, which seems kind of snobby to me--though I like Weingarten, too. The difference between a journeyman violinist and a virtuoso player is not so huge that random passersby would "get it."
All it tells me is that most people don't care about classical music. Surprise!
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Originally posted by dfmcpete:
I'm kind of surprised that so many connoisseurs of rock music are taken with the article, which seems kind of snobby to me--though I like Weingarten, too. The difference between a journeyman violinist and a virtuoso player is not so huge that random passersby would "get it."
All it tells me is that most people don't care about classical music. Surprise!
I agree. If Bono or Dylan was playing in a metro station, it'd fill with gawkers within 5 minutes.
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Originally posted by Julian, faux celeb-porn CONNOISSEUR:
Originally posted by dfmcpete:
I'm kind of surprised that so many connoisseurs of rock music are taken with the article, which seems kind of snobby to me--though I like Weingarten, too. The difference between a journeyman violinist and a virtuoso player is not so huge that random passersby would "get it."
All it tells me is that most people don't care about classical music. Surprise!
I agree. If Bono or Dylan was playing in a metro station, it'd fill with gawkers within 5 minutes. [/b]
Even if they were made not to look recognizable?
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Originally posted by Sir HC:
Even if they were made not to look recognizable?
Um, I hadn't considered this aspect, but it seems moot. It's not as though most people KNOW what world famous violinists look like. I don't think the issue is that this guy was unrecognizable.
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Originally posted by Julian, faux celeb-porn CONNOISSEUR:I agree. If Bono or Dylan was playing in a metro station, it'd fill with gawkers within 5 minutes. [/QB]
But because they loved and/or wanted to listen to the music, or because they recognized Bono or Dylan?! I think only the latter.
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Woops, didn't read the above two posts.
I disagree -- if the violinist had been Josh Groban (ie, recognizable), I bet there'd be more attention.
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Originally posted by Bags:
But because they loved and/or wanted to listen to the music, or because they recognized Bono or Dylan?! I think only the latter.
The two are inherently connected. More people recognize who Bono or Dylan are then Joshua Bell because more people like the music of Bono or Dylan then that of Bell's. Classical violin music IS NOT popular in American society. I'm not making an excuse or saying it shouldn't be, but that's the solid truth. The issue isn't that "people wouldn't buy time out of their day for beauty and art" so much as it is "most people do not care for the particular art form involved."
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Originally posted by Julian, faux celeb-porn CONNOISSEUR:
Originally posted by Bags:
But because they loved and/or wanted to listen to the music, or because they recognized Bono or Dylan?! I think only the latter.
The two are inherently connected. More people recognize who Bono or Dylan are then Joshua Bell because more people like the music of Bono or Dylan then that of Bell's. Classical violin music IS NOT popular in American society. I'm not making an excuse or saying it shouldn't be, but that's the solid truth. The issue isn't that "people wouldn't buy time out of their day for beauty and art" so much as it is "most people do not care for the particular art form involved." [/b]
I still disagree. I think if you put buskers at L'Enfant Plaza doing Dylan songs -- of EQUAL proficiency -- but one was Dylan and the other a random musician, the random musician wouldn't get all that much attention. Ditto to some dude doing U2 songs REALLY REALLY well.
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$32 for 45 minutes work isn't all that bad..
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The unrecognizability was part of the point -- the experiment was to see how people react to art when it's presented out of the context (venue, prestige, etc.) they're used to.
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Originally posted by SalParadise:
$32 for 45 minutes work isn't all that bad..
It is good money, but they would need to play for 4-7 hours a day to make a good living.
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Originally posted by bizou311®:
Originally posted by SalParadise:
$32 for 45 minutes work isn't all that bad..
It is good money, but they would need to play for 4-7 hours a day to make a good living. [/b]
No taxes though. So that is like making closer to $50 at a 9-5 job.
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Originally posted by Christine Moritz:
The unrecognizability was part of the point -- the experiment was to see how people react to art when it's presented out of the context (venue, prestige, etc.) they're used to.
But my point is you could have put a neon sign behind him that proclaimed "BEST VIOLINIST LIVING ON EARTH" and people still wouldn't have responded much differently. If you gave those 1000 people tickets to see "the greatest living violinist at Constitution Hall" virtually none would show up because easily 90% of them don't like classic music. This seems painfully obvious to me.
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This was about what you hear, not what you see. It doesn't matter that he was unrecognizable by all but one person. The premise was would people stop if they heard something that was beautiful?
And it appears that most folks either didn't recognize what this author likens to beauty or don't consider it beautiful enough to stop them from doing what they set out to do this morning.
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I bet more people would give money to a busker playing classical violin than one singing Dylan or U2 songs, if they were being played with equal proficiency. I know I would, even though that coice wouldn't reflect my musical collection.
Originally posted by Julian, faux celeb-porn CONNOISSEUR:
Originally posted by Christine Moritz:
The unrecognizability was part of the point -- the experiment was to see how people react to art when it's presented out of the context (venue, prestige, etc.) they're used to.
But my point is you could have put a neon sign behind him that proclaimed "BEST VIOLINIST LIVING ON EARTH" and people still wouldn't have responded much differently. If you gave those 1000 people tickets to see "the greatest living violinist at Constitution Hall" virtually none would show up because easily 90% of them don't like classic music. This seems painfully obvious to me. [/b]
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I think it was mostly about who had enough time to stop and listen to a guy playing violin right before they had to get to work or wherever they were going in or out of the L'Enfant Plaza metro station from 7:51-8:34 on the morning of January 12th, 2007.
Originally posted by vansmack:
This was about what you hear, not what you see. It doesn't matter that he was unrecognizable by all but one person. The premise was would people stop if they heard something that was beautiful?
And it appears that most folks either didn't recognize what this author likens to beauty or don't consider it beautiful enough to stop them from doing what they set out to do this morning.
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I'll bet if that chick from American Idol/American University stood singing naked outside the Metro station, people would find time in their busy schedule to stop and listen. Even on a cold January morning.
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this morning in the times square subway station - as i was walking up the stairs i could hear someone playing music. it was sounding a lot better than most of what is played there, and it turns out it was some, im assuming, famed cellist. i forgot what his name was, but apparently its part of some 'around new york' type show. there was a sign above where he was playing, saying who it was, but probably reminiscent of what happened at l'enfant, no one barely noticed him.
most people walked on by and didn't even look up. i only had about a minute to spare but stopped and listened, and he looked up and smiled at me. i kept thinking, hopefully i made his day. if i had any more time id have probably dropped some money in his cellist case.
It was a nice welcome surprise on my morning rush to work.