September 30, 2014
Joshua Bell once performed a free concert in a Washington, DC, subway station. And hardly anyone stopped to listen. This episode is chronicled in a famous Washington Post article.
On September 30, 2014, Bell tried again. This time, a crowd did gather:
In the following videos, the gentleman in a medium blue shirt under the center pillar in the distance is Joshua Bell. Click on any photo for a larger view, or click the expansion box in the videos for a larger view.
First movement of a Bach concerto, for the impatient:
First movement of a Bach concerto, for the patient (partial):
Second movement of a Bach concerto, for the impatient:
Second movement of a Bach concerto, for the patient (partial):
Start of a piece by Mendelssohn, written when he was sixteen:
Here is a still photo of Joshua Bell in mid-Bach:
Public events in the 20th century: a sea of portable digital phones with cameras:
What I saw:
While I may not have had a good view, and definitely not a good seat (as there were no seats), Joshua Bell sounded wonderful in the vast expanse of Union Station. And the price was right.