Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-01-03
Correspondence Of the N. Y. World,
Master Milo Benedict.

THE BOY PIANIST.
MIDDLEBuRI, Vt, Dec. 26.-For year OF
two the local papers of Vermont have made
frequent illusions to boy pianist and com
poser whose musical talent has won for HIM
reputation which has extended beyond
the limits OF the Green Mountain State.
His name is Milo F. Benedict, his age is
twelve years, and his home is in Cornwall
Addison County. His parents names are
Abel Jerome and Helen Adelaide Peek Ben
Dict both being descended from old families
of Cornwall Mr.. Benedict is a quiet, IN
ostentatious and apparently unambitious far
mer, possessed of small means, if not abso-
lutely poor, but intelligent and well-inform-
ed upon general topics and an active mem
| Der and officer in the West Cornwall Baptist
Church. Mrs. Benedict has decided musical
talent The Peck family. indeed. are noted
for their accomplishments in this respect,
the numerous representatives residing in this
and adjoining towns occupying prominent
| places In the choirs of the various churches
| to which they belong. Milo is the youngest
| OF the four children, all of whom are bright,
intelligent, and thorough scholors, exhibiting
unusual musical taste. He was born at Corn
wall on the 9Th day of June, 1866. He is a
| slight built, comely lad about four feet seven
inches in height and weighs sixty-eight
pounds, has keen black eyes, red hair, light
complexion and fine regular features. At an
early age he began to give evidence of liking
for music and when only five years of age he
could play familiar airs upon the piano, with
one hand Before he was seven years old he
could play with both hands such pieces as he
tn aft
- r.id to hIs performances, and no system
attic instruction was given, and at that time
he could not read music at all. At seven
years OF age he began composing music.
which he could not write down. but retained
III his memory. These pieces he rehearsed
to his admiring friends. and from that time
forward he was much sought after to give
eclat to concerts. and always created sensa-
ton upon every appearance. Some have
compared him to Blind tom and other mus
ical geniuses. When nine years Of age his
parents began to feel the Importance to him
OF musical education, and though in too
delicate health to give close attention to it,
during the next two years he was under the
tuition ola musical instructor to the extent
OF twenty four lessons. On the 22d day of
last July. in company with his uncle, he sail
ed for Europe, where he remained four
months. He was at Bremen two months,
WutIe ne LOOK bOIue Twenty itssOub IL iuu5lc
and nine lessons in oil painting, an accom-
plishment in which he also bids fair to excel
From Bremen he went to Cologne and Paris,
where he staid some two weeks arriving home
the latter part of November.
This boy is not only natural musician,
seeming to grasp the sentiment and soul OF
music by intuition, but has very active
brain in all directions, quickness of appre-
hension and d power of retention quite re-
narkable. and but for his delicate physical |
constitution might make rapid attainments in |
language mathematics, and the arts also. |
He certainly has remarkable power OF des- |
scription and imitation of nature, and his |
music strongly partakes of his poetic and i'm |
aginative character. Aprogramme of one of
his concerts, which was most perfect sue
cess in numbers of hearers, as well as their
appreciation of his fine renderings, shows |
the character and style of his compositions /
so far as they can be gathered from the titles.
The overture was improvised at the time,
and all the other pieces were original, COM
posed two and three years before. They
were as follows Crystal Waltz Rough and
Ready Polka Thunder Storm each of the
above composed at the age of seven years.
Psyche Redowa Minor in Z flat Home,
Sweet Home. with his own variations Au-
tumn Leaves A Visit to a Manufacturing
Village Laughing Waters Battle of Gettys-
burg Bird Concert, composed at eight years
of age. The performance was described by
the local paper as showing variety, power.
and Il capacity of expression and execution
seldom, If ever, exhibited by one 80 young,
holding tor two hours intent and delighted,
Il cultivated audience, comprising many per-
sons OF musical taste and education.
A few days ago Prof. Mietzke, of Rutland,
sent for him to participate in one of his class
zeal concerts in that place. Young Benedict
went and acquitted himself SO well as to
arouse more enthusiasm than ever before
He is now on trip to Burlington and St.
Adams to attend concerts in those places
His parents disclaim any desire to gain further
notorety for him, and they only permit his
appearance in public TO- the purpose al s"-
,uring the means to purchase him piano,
md to obtain Tor him the instruction they
ire unable to give him.