Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-05-01
THE MUSICAL PRODIGY.

, everybody by his classic selections. Hi
execution is brilliant, clear and delicat
and the entire recital must have been ex
ceedingly enjoyable to the most thor
oughly educated and skilled musician
While Boone seems to enter heart AM
soul into the execution of thos
talents which nature alone could confer
for his gifts are natural and not the re
suit of study, there is something whicl
impresses those who witness him with in
expressible sadness. To see one en-
dowed with such almost supernatural
powers, with intellectual faculties al
active, the external evidence of pecu
liarly nervous and restless condition, th(
perfect happiness he takes in the instru'
ment over which he is the blind
master, and his appreciation and de-
| light of the applause that constantly
comes from his hearers, and withal de-
prived of that most valuable organ to the
ordinary human system. Only one p6en-
omcnon such as Boone ever existed be-
fore-the famous Blind Tom-who years
| ago created the sensation of the musical
world. One who has heard the latter
very naturally draws comparison between
him and his successor who visited us last
night. Blind Tom. a full blooded negro,
born Il slave and almost imbecile. with
the superhuman power of reproducing
after single hearing the most elaborate
| aud difficult musical compositions and of
| initiating so perfectly on the piano any
sound verging on the musical, be it bags
pipe, hand organ or banjo. that one not
seeing would never know that the sound
was any other than that produced by the
special instrument itself, has always been
one of the wonders of the age. In Blind
Boone the same marvellous gift is mani
fest, though in some ways degree less
incomprehensibl from the fact that in
him the intellect is active, and also from
the fact that Blind Tom never received
any musical instruction. while Boone
has been to some extent unsteady edu-
Gated.
In speaking of one of Boone's concerts,
the writer finds him self in realm where
ordinary methods of criticism fail His
performances on the piano are simply
grand-from the most commonplace
music to the choicest and most difficult
gems from the most talented and popular
composers. Under his magic touch the
piano seems to re-echo the very perfec
ton of musical harmony which fills and |
charms the soul. Applause after APP
plause greeted every selection, and the |
blind boy who performs the most diff
cult pieces such as he does, is certainly a |
marvel of genius, and no praise too great
can be said of him.
One of the most popular features of
his performance was his imitation of the
(Mo) tornado few years
ago, the roar of the thunder, the storms
destruction, the ringing of fire bells, the
storm dying away in the distance, the
dripping of the water from the caves of
the houses, were executed with such mar
velous perfection that the listener almost
felt himself in the atmosphere of the
storm. Other highly enjoyable selec-
lions were his limitations of the fife,
drum, the music box. the banjo, etc.
Boone also gave number of plantation
songs, showing that he has musical
voice as well as touch.
Upon invitation of Manager Lange to
anyone in the audience who desired to
test the keenness of Boone's ear and the
accuracy of his knowledge of the chords,
Prof. 8. T. Bowlby stepped upon the
stage, struck number of notes rapidly {
several times and Boone promptly named
every key touched. Prof Bowlby then
played selection composing it as he
went along and Boone sat down to the l
,iano and went through it with wonder '
ul exactness. Boone then played piece, Y
IN entirely new one to him, that he had t
heard the Tyre society perform the night |
'efore. In Difference to a request, he
losed his entertainment with LISTS
Rhapsody. I
During the action of the programme, d
Hiss Stella, young mulatto vocalist, f
ang sweetly Marguerite" Uncle Bill
rs Dream" and in response to encores, t
n company with Boone, gave several s
ne plantation melodies.
Boone is one of natures wonders"
Ruth II. Lange, secretary of the Il
Hind Boone company, in conversation L
Nth an ARGUS reporter near the close of d
be entertainment last evening. His II
lusical talents began to develop as soon fl
5 he was old enough to hold mouth o
Ryan to his lips. In fact, he comes from "
remarkably peculiar family. He was "
orn at Marshallfield, Mo-, and his moths
r still resides there. She is an intelli- y
ent woman and converses so, but the
ioment one ceases to engage her atten- G
on actively, she will pass into y
Ort of swoon. from which it
sometimes difficult to arouse fl
er. Thea she will take up the thread s.
f discussion where she dropped it when n
be lost interest in what was being said. "
oone was born with perfect eyesight, Il
ut had the misfortune to lose it from h
rain fever when but six months old t,
lis name is John Boone, and he has two
rothers living now, who, like himself, Il
ave peculiar endowments, though of a "