In today’s society, there’s a love for catching people off guard. With the internet and cell phones at our fingertips – it’s no wonder why big surprises are created to help capture strangers’ reactions when they least expect it.
Sometimes, however, the surprise is just too beautiful for words.
An unsuspecting crowd gathered to watch a solo musician play in the middle of a plaza. It all took place in Sabadell, Spain.
The man waited with his instrument as strangers stood around him. He was dressed in a tux and had a hat set out to collect tips.
A young girl was the first to walk up and drop a coin into the musician’s hat. When he began to play Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” she listened with a look of wonder.
Then another woman broke through the crowd, sitting in a nearby chair to join in with her own stringed instrument. Unsurprisingly, more passersby stopped to watch the pair serenade everyone with their sound.
But little did anyone know it was only the beginning of a breathtaking scene that was unfolding in placa de Sant Roc.
Suddenly more musicians flocked into the plaza. First a few, but the flow kept going. All from wind instrument players to violinists – and in no time, an orchestra had formed made up of 100 people.
The flashmob was created by Banco Sabadell (a bank in Spain) in celebration of their 130th anniversary. Participants had come from the Lieder, Amics de l’Òpera, Vallès Symphony Orchestra, and Coral Belles Arts choirs.
People whipped out their phones to capture the stunning performance. Even a conductor had risen up to direct the musicians, whose song filled the sky in a glorious way.
It became even more riveting when a choir of voices began singing “Ode to Joy,” which comes from Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.
Some strangers listened in silence while others mouthed the words. Even children danced and played along to the music. Everyone was witnessing an event that’s been known to cause goosebumps and leave some teary.
Then came the grand finale.
At one point, the orchestra quieted some. People stood curiously with their phones unaware that the performance was about to get even more chilling.
The conductor waved his arms directing the musicians to play louder, along with the choir – bringing the sound to a whole new level. It was their way of going out with a bang.
After the video of the flashmob was posted on YouTube by Banco Sabadell, it quickly went viral. As of now, it has more than 81 million views. It was in connection with their Som Sabadell campaign, which means “We are Sabadell.”
Viewers from around the world have been deeply moved by the powerful performance – which really was the ultimate surprise for anyone who was lucky enough to witness it that day.
Commenters have shared their feelings online. Michael said:
“I would give anything to have witnessed this in person. The joy in the young and old is priceless.”
A man named Charles wrote,
“I don’t care how many times I see this video, or how many times I hear this glorious music, it always brings tears of joy to my face and pure joy in my heart. Just glorious, divine, perfect music!”
The flashmob managed to bring a group of strangers together that day through the beauty of music. It’s a performance that shouldn’t be missed.
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