Most people crossing a city square are thinking about where they need to be next.
Then a familiar tune starts, and suddenly the next appointment can wait a minute.
That was the charm of a musical surprise filmed in Cologne, Germany, in October 2012. Musicians from WDR's orchestra brought the music of “Star Wars” into the open air at Wallrafplatz, outside the broadcaster's building.
It did not begin with a theater curtain or an announcement asking everyone to take their seats.
The performance built out in public. More musicians joined, and the sound grew into something much bigger than the small beginning suggested.
For people passing through the square, the setting made all the difference. Music normally heard in a concert hall or a movie theater was suddenly sharing the pavement with shopping bags, everyday clothes, and people who had not bought a ticket.
The official video captures both sides of that surprise: the players concentrating on their parts and the audience gathering around them.
You do not need to know every character in the films to appreciate it. The pleasure is in watching an ordinary place become a place where people stop together.
For viewers who remember the first “Star Wars” film arriving in 1977, the music may bring another layer of recognition. A few notes can call back a cinema, a family outing, or a younger version of yourself.
A flash mob works best when the surprise opens a door rather than demanding attention. Here, the invitation is simple: listen for a moment.
By the end, the square has become a temporary concert hall. The walls are missing, but the audience has found its way there just the same.
