Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-10-09
A Musical Prodigy Blind Tomv Ri
vailed.
Detroit Free Press.

- lie q phenomenon seen but once
III century," was the remark made
last evening by well known musician,
who Is recognized as one Of the most
competent musical critics in Michigan.
after having listened to a performance
by Master George Fox, the marvellous
boy pianist, who was noticed in the Free
Press Of Sunday. gat
Master Fox gave an exhibition last
evening at the musical warerooms of
Roe Stephens before dozen or more
professional musicians and twenty or
thirty ladies and gentlemen, the enter
talnment being of a private character,
and the report published in the Free
Press was more than verified.
First the boy played on the piano
and bass accompaniment to difficult
selection played by Professor APPEL, and
never before heard by the boy. The
piano was pitched half tone higher
than those upon which the prodigy had
been accustomed to playing, so that it
required little time at first for him to
lind HIMSELF so to speak, but he went
through the piece with but one or two
scarcely noticeable mistakes, and won
hearty applause.
Then he performed alone, composing
as he played, and to say the audience
were overwhelmed with establishment
does not express the feeling They be-
haved as though unwilling to believe
what they heard, and excitedly chang
ed their positions and craned their
necks to get a better view Of the boy and
his nlmble fingers. Seeing is believing,
and at last the audience settled in their
seats to enjoy the treat, although there
was occasionally skep tic who would
walk slyly to the piano as though to re-
assure himself that the boy was not be-
ing assisted IN an invisible and unknown
manner. -.G# E.
:" It's wonderful display of g most
vivid fancy and incomprehensible re-
collection or impression Of chords" re-
marked prominent musician.
Z " thought the Free Press was exag-
gerating," said another musician, "but,"
he added, ''the paper did the boy poor
Justice" -.1. I...
The third exhibition by the boy was
to play the bass accompaniment to
brilliant waltz played by Mons. Maui
rette, and after that the boy improvised
a waltz, of much the same style, to. the
intense wonder and delight of his audi
tors. He then called off by letter the
keys on the piano as they were struck
slngl y and together, chords and dis
cords. and hap-hazard, the boy standing
ten feet away from and with his back
to the instrument. This feat excited
great enthusiasm, particularly among
the professional musicians present.
i Throughout the exhibition on the pi-
ano the boy was evidently impatient,
and when the audience were invited to
accompany him to the Central Metho-
dist Episcopal Church, where he would
give an exhibition on the pipe organ, a
gleam Of satisfaction and evidence of
pleasant anticipation were at once no.
ticeable IN his face. 1t was nis second
meeting with pipe organ, his first ex-
perience being last Sunday at St. Jo-
Fseph'S Church, and ever since that time
he has shown no interest in piano
playing and has been impatient to play
upon an organ. The audience at the
church consisted of between two and
three hundred ladies and gentlemen,
among them being members Of the
press, the BAR the m edical profession
and the clergy. Immediately on taking
his seat before the organ, Master George
ran his fingers over the keys and looked
up into his fathers face as though say
ing, There that's music Professor
APPEL manipulated the stops, and for
fully fifteen minutes the boy produced
a voluntary, at once classical, difficult,
and entertaining. He next played the
bass accom- aninlent to a medley per-
formed by Professor APPEL, without an
error. Then he played an original
melody, while Professor APPEL played
the bass Accompaniment, and two Or
three times he caught the Professor on
harmony and laughed heartily at the
Professors discontinue. His final ex-
hibition was given against the wishes Of
his father and the Professor who, think
ing he was tired, told him he had better
stop. "No, Pm not tired" answered
the boy with an impatient shake of his
head. and then he dashed into an i'm
pr0mptu composition replete with
beautiful Waltzes, marches and a1adnnte
passages. lie continued for about fif
teen minutes, when suddenly he stop
ped, and saying, Il haven't got any
more music clambered down from
his seat, and the entertainment was
ended.
Master Fox cannot read note Of
music, is but two months over seven
years Of age, is il handsome boy, we'll
proportional, with no look Of hard
study or premature age, and without
doubt is the greatest musical phenom-
enon that has developed in this coun-
try since the advent of the famous
Blind Tom. ZOOS bsa