The violin under the railway arch

Source A: an original contemporary non-fiction-style account.

The violinist stood under the railway arch where the pavement narrowed. I heard the music before I saw her, a clear line finding its way between engines and footsteps. A train crossed overhead and the melody vanished beneath the iron thunder. She kept playing. When the train had gone, the tune returned at a point I had not expected, as though it had continued privately while the rest of us were distracted.

People changed speed as they passed. Some slowed without stopping; one man searched his pocket while still looking ahead. A child turned completely around and had to be guided back towards the crossing. The open case held a few coins and a folded scarf. There was nothing about the arrangement that demanded admiration. Yet the notes made the arch seem less like an obstruction between two streets and more like a room we were briefly sharing.

I waited through another train. This time I listened for the moment when the violin became audible again. The interruption had become part of my attention rather than simply its enemy. When I finally moved on, the traffic sounded unchanged, but I was aware of how much I usually passed through without hearing anything except the need to arrive.

Refer to the whole of Source A. Analyse how the writer uses language to present the music’s effect within the busy street. Explain the effects of specific words, phrases and language choices, using evidence from the passage.