The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-28
NTM CRINKLES FEUILLETON.
The Latest Musical Sensation in New York
The Cowboy Pianist.


Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
NEW YORK, Feb 27.-The most extraordinary
musical event Of the past week has been the sud
den descent upon the town of a person calling
himself the Cowboy pianist" cannot re-
member when / struck another such phenome-
non He is the typical ''guy hooter" in appear
ance Long coarse, black hair h-osa -nrimncsa
slouched hat and blue shirt with open collar,
showing his brawny neck His name is Babel
He is about twenty-three and he has come here
to challenge the world of pianists. He calls the
instrument ''pianner," and is spoken of by his
ranchman agent as an ''executioner" This
agent, whose name is Pike, told me that he
hadn't found any pianists yet, but he'd heard
that there was one in this country some time ago
called Rubinstein.
Like all the men about Fourteenth street and
Steinway Hall, Regarded this strange apparation
as something of guy until I heard him play
went with small party of musicians and
critics to John Pattison's rooms to see the wild
Western youth macerate the masters and enjoy
the prairie school, But he astounded us. In
facility, force, brilliancy and rapidity of execu-
tion confess that he amazed me. Mr.. Pattison
ID the best bravura player that we have, and this
young man simply took his breath away. ]
never not even when Rublnstein was here,
heard such stroke or such octave playing He
does not know one note of music, and declares
that he never received a lesson in his life.
His antecedents are known. They cor
roborate his statement. Up to within the
last six months he has been upon
ranch on the borders of the Indian Territory.
He has all the characteristics Of the cowboy,
but he fingers like a musician who has given a
llfe TO the instrument. He played sonata OF
Beethovens. a scrap Of Schumann that he had,
and then he improvised. We laid cloth over
the keys, so that he could not see them, and he
played with the same knowledge of the key
board Of course we could see that the sonata
was turned into romanza, and that those were
not Beethoven's resolutions, but there was the
marvellous execution, minus the technical knowl-
edge.
This boys story, if true. and have no reason
to doubt it, for I have encountered singular
things before, is equally strange. He told me
Ill straightforward way that his father bought
an old Chickering piano for twelve bushels OF
corn from party of emigrants. Il was then,
said he, about sixteen years old. Ny father
did not know anything about pianos. but he
thought it would be handy for mother to iron
on. 1t was put in corner, and the old woman
used to cut our clothes on it, and when she
wasn't using it it was covered with old harness
and potatoes. When I was twenty-one started
one night to go to a roundup. You know what
the boys are out there. We had ride of sixty
miles and we stopped half way and got drunk.
About o'clock in the morning I started to go
on. My pony got his foot in q gopher
hole and threw me. for was pretty
full, and broke my arm in two places.
They had to take me back, and
60 to Fort Sill. which was sixty miles, for q
surgeon. Well, was laid up for several months.
One day had a shock. did not know what it
was then, but know now. 1t was electricity.
1t tingled down to the ends of my fingers did
not know what was the matter with me. was
scared l got up and I wanted to look in that
old ''pianner." I took the harness off and got it
open. Then began to play. / hope I may die
here if know how did it, but played it. 1t
made me so glad howled. The old woman thought
had gone mad IL ever saw the inside of it
before hope may drop"
This extraordinary story is corroborated by
several people, and strange as it may be, is not
outside the range Of psychologist phenomena.
The fellow plays as one possessed. He had taken
the rooms on Thirteenth street formerly occu-
pied by Mrs. Langtry, and is arranging to give a
concert here. probably at Steinway Hall.
If he does not attract great deal OF envious
attention / am very much mistaken.
NYM CRINKLE.