Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-03-19
a ONE-1RMED PIANIST.
The Astonisbing Musical Genius OF Count Cen
Ztchy

The Astounding Musical Genins OF Count Ge,a
Zichy.
Count Zichy has only one arm, and Is the
greatest living pianist, with the sole excep-
ton, perhaps, of his countryman and teacher,
Abbe Franz Liszt The count was born In
Hungary in lSie, and from childhood evinced
a marked taste tor music and poetry. When
a boy he made verses and played ON the
violin. He imagined that tie saw visions,
and even composed serenades for them. His
father placed him under the care of a music
teacher, but he did not make much progress.
At last the teacher visited the father and
sadly remarked: THAT boy of yours has an
excellent right hand, but his left will never
amount to anything" Never was prophecy
more strikingly falsifed. When fourteen
years Of age the count lost his right arm by
an accident while hunting, His physicians
forbade him pursuing any physical or INTEL
lectual work tor some time after the ampu-
| tation. The count chafed under this en-
forced inactivity tor a time and finally one
day he handed his tutor a sealed note with
Instructions not to open it for year.
The note when opened read as follows: at
within year from this date I cannot do
with my left hand everything that other
people do with both hands l will blow my
brains out"
The young count set to work resolutely to
carry out his resolve. He refused to eat any
meat unless 1t were cut with his own hand,
or any fruits unless he peeled them himself,
and he even let his nails grow till he could
pare them. At the end OF three months he
was able to drive his horses handle the oar,
fence like an athlete and hunt like n imrod.
He soon resumed his musical exercises, but
was compelled to substitute the piano for
the violin. Meantime he studied law and
devoted a portion of his spare hours to light
Literature, He was fond of the theatre, and
wrote -four comedies, which were PLAYED at
theatre in Buda-Pesth, and published seye
raj romances and two small volumes of lyric
poems
One day the famous Able List heard the
one-armed youth practicing on the piano
alone in his room. The master listened for a
time with rapt attention, and then stealing on
tptoe to the boys presence, stopped down
and kissed him on the forehead, eNclaiming:
Young man, you will be without a rival
Tu Msrcellus eris" Zichy at once became
Liszt's pupil and remained under the in
struction of the great master for six years
List taught his pupil to substitute his thumb
for the right hand in playing the piano. But
the master afterwards declared that "he did
not then dream his pupil would ever succeed
in executing the chromatic scale, or making
tiger bounds OF i've and six octayes by the
use of his thumb" After his six years prac-
tice under Liszt, Count Zichy entered on his
public career His first appearance was at
Vienna, where the celebrated critic Hands
chilick exclaimed, after hearing him 'Many
people play the piano some delight us with
II, but Zichy enchants" The count has
never received any remuneration from his
performances They are given in the cause
of charity, and he has Travelled over all
Europe in his philsnthropic mission. He has
realized hundreds of thousands of dollars for
the poor of all countries A lady, referring
to Count Zichy's infrmity, exclaimed one
day In the hearing of List The poor man
How i pity him ~ "Pity him p replied
the master !" not at all, madame but his
piano Is to be pitied, and the people VINO
as.r1 IA .N1...v a. ..sh
counts capital shot, and has been the victor
in three duels.