On 12 January 2007, about a thousand morning commuters passing through the L'Enfant Plaza Station of the subway line in Washington, D.C. were, without publicity, treated to a free mini-concert performed by violin virtuoso Joshua Bell, who played for approximately 45 minutes, performing six classical pieces on his handcrafted $3.5 million 1713 Stradivarius violin.
The crux of the experiment was described as follows:
"Each passer-by had a quick choice to make, one familiar to commuters in any urban area where the occasional street performer is part of the cityscape: Do you stop and listen? Do you hurry past with a blend of guilt and irritation, aware of your cupidity but annoyed by the unbidden demand on your time and your wallet? Do you throw in a buck, just to be polite? Does your decision change if he's really bad? What if he's really good? Do you have time for beauty? Shouldn't you? What's the moral mathematics of the moment?"
Three days earlier, Bell had played to a full house at Boston's Symphony Hall, where reasonable seats sold for $100. On this day he collected just $32.17 for his efforts, contributed by a mere 27 of 1,097 passing travellers. Only seven people stopped to listen, and just one of them recognised the performer.
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