You are most welcome Bruce. As someone who makes my living as an oboist (primarily for Sound Recordings and Motion Picture Soundtracks) and as someone who has had the privilege of performing both with Mr. Bell and your other musical references from today, Andrea Bocelli and David Foster, the statement this video makes about how fast we run through life and how the artistic and creative equity of the human race is often devalued and overlooked, resonates in a particularly poignant way with me.
Bruce, Best Wishes to you, your family, your staff and likewise to all the other MOPO folks for a great Holiday and Fantastic 2010. Warmest Regards to All, Phil Ayling/ Mr.Oboe ----- Original Message ----- From: Bruce Hershenson To: Phillip W. Ayling Cc: [email protected] Sent: Saturday, December 12, 2009 1:24 PM Subject: Re: [MOPO] Very OT (but worth reading!): What are we missing? Thanks much for sharing this Phil! Bruce On Sat, Dec 12, 2009 at 3:17 PM, Phillip W. Ayling <[email protected]> wrote: Quite amazingly true. Here is a link to the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myq8upzJDJc&feature=related ----- Original Message ----- From: Bruce Hershenson To: [email protected] Sent: Saturday, December 12, 2009 12:32 PM Subject: [MOPO] Very OT (but worth reading!): What are we missing? I was forwarded this by a good friend (I hope you can spare a minute to read it): What are we missing? Washington DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. A violinist played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man not...iced there was a musician playing.. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule. 4 minutes later: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 3 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. 1hour:He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition. . . . . . . . . Comment: No one knew this, but 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 before, Joshua Bell had sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100. This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities. The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context? One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be: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 ..... then how many other things are we missing? P.S. I verified this story as true on Snopes Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [email protected] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content. Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [email protected] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
