Alan Jacobs


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“The subway sounds quite brutal,” Murphy tells the Journal. “There’s a missing opportunity at the turnstile.” Rather than having the subway’s turnstiles release a shrill beep every time they receive payment, Murphy would like them to each release one of many pleasant tones that, during busy moments, would coalesce into a grand harmony. Murphy’s vision would have every station in the city set to a different key, and he thinks now could be the time to turn it into a reality.

“‘This is not a big deal!’ you cry. ‘There are way bigger problems in New York!’ you yell. You’re pretty much totally right,” Murphy writes on a website for the project, which he’s calling Subway Symphony. “But this one is so infuriating because, quite simply, it would be really cheap and easy to change.  And I think it would be really lovely, honestly.”