[matmat]

another BBO/BBF regular showed this to me the other day.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...7040401721.html

[barmar]

Psychologists have shown in many ways that perceptions are strongly colored by expectations. Neuro-psychologists have even pinpointed the brain areas that operate differently depending on expectations. This is also the basis for brand recognition.

No one expects a world class musician to be playing for donations in a subway station, so they don't give him the same consideration they would in a concert hall or if they saw him on TV.

[kenberg]

Partly its expectations, partly its situational (which is similar). I'm on my way to work, moving quickly up the escalator. Some guy is playing a violin. Another guy is dressed in rags, asking for a handout. A young woman is walking by with great legs. Some guys are yelling at each other, maybe a punch is about to be thrown. All well and good, I'm on my way to work.

If I am going to listen to classical music I want to sit somewhere in nice surroundings where I can concentrate and not be interrupted. A subway stop ain't that place. It's remarkable what we can tune out.


Still. I have heard some pretty good music in subway stops. Some Sax in London doing a pretty good job of Take Five. But in London I was laid back, on my way to nowhere in particular. I had the time.

[Rossoneri]

I recognise music wherever I go, to the point where I will suddenly exclaim, "It's <blah blah>!" and my other friends will be like huh, you can hear the music?

And since I listen to a fair bit of classical music, I'll probably recognise it.

Edit: Bach's Chaconne is one of my favourite pieces, so no doubt, I will recognise it for sure.

[Gerben42]

If the guy is really good, I always stop to listen. I normally know the tune as well.

[helene_t]

I sure wouldn't have noticed anything unusual. But then again, I am totally illiterate wrt music. I wouldn't notice a grand cru being served in paper cups at a fastfood shop, or some of the pieces from a gallery of modern art on the wall in a kindergarten, either.

But if some of those 1000 passerbys really knew anything about music (or just were able to appreciate music) I do find it a little bid strange. I mean, if I hear a street apologist preaching intriguing ideas I do recognize it. (Such things have happened a couple of times).

I think it would be prudent to poll the passerbys about there assesment of the music and compare to a control experiment with a random street musician. Is it possible that some actually did notice that the quality was quite good? Maybe the passerbys act on what others expect them to do. You are not supposed to stand still and listen to a street musician. The subway hall does not have capacity for music-listening crowds. And people already decided that they wanted to be at work in a few minutes. (Maybe it would be better to do the experiment on a Saturday).

[Al_U_Card]

I am truly a philistine.

I listened to the various clips and not only wouldn't I have stopped to listen, I might well have increased my pace. Only operatic sopranos could have had an even less favorable effect on me.

[gwnn]

Partly shocking. I would have thought about 4-5 people would have gathered. Of course after a critical mass of people, the crowd could have grown quite a bit.

I like classical music a lot, but my culture is very bad. This article made introduced me to Chaconne, I think it's amazing. Or am i only saying this because of the critics?

[Rossoneri]

gwnn, on Jul 18 2008, 08:34 AM, said:

Partly shocking. I would have thought about 4-5 people would have gathered. Of course after a critical mass of people, the crowd could have grown quite a bit.

I like classical music a lot, but my culture is very bad. This article made introduced me to Chaconne, I think it's amazing. Or am i only saying this because of the critics?

It's a Bach piece which doesn't remind me of other Bach pieces.

That said, it is pretty much a very thought-provoking and deep piece. Have you heard the piano transcription by Busoni yet?

[gwnn]

Not yet, but I will be sure to check it out.

[y66]

I think this shows why producers are needed. That particular station is in a government office building ghetto and Bell chose what looks like the worst possible spot in the station. But yeah, still unbelievable.

[cranebill]

Quote

would you know it if you heard it?

Would you appreciate it, if you knew what it was?

[matmat]

cranebill, on Jul 18 2008, 05:08 PM, said:

Quote

would you know it if you heard it?

Would you appreciate it, if you knew what it was?

would you appreciate the quality of the play even if you didn't recognize the piece?