Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1910-02-03

The last great mathematical prodigy
seen here was jacques lnaudi, an Italian,
who exhibited himself i'll our theaters in
1901 and 1902. He was born in 1861 passed
his early boyhood minding sheep and be-
gan his career as calculator by doing
peasants accounts for them at lightning
speed AT seven he could mentally multi
ply any five figures by five figures. When
Is he begged his way to Paris where he
was taken in hand by a caricaturist, who
started him In the music halls. He did not
learn to read and write until he was ~,
and outside OF mental calculation, Fad
poor memory and only fair mental ability.
But the most famous boy prodigy of
this generation was Josef Hoffman,. the
lO-year-old pianist This lad was born in
Cracow Poland. in 1877, his mother be-
ing an opera singer and his father mu-
sic teacher. Josef had plano of his own
before he was E. and In six months mad
written an original mazourka. He made
his first appearance at a charity concert
when only 6. played at public concert
at Berlin when s. and when 10 came to
New York. where at once he drew enor-
nous crowds and became the subject or
more attention and publicity than any mu-
steal child who had ever lived. But his
career was interrupted In New York by
an appeal to the mayor by Elbridse IL.
Gerry the head of the Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Children. and
the child was examined by DR.. Allen Nc
Lane Hamilton and others. He was found
TO lie sound and the concerts were per-
mitted TO continue upon the agreement
of the father not 20 allow the child to
play more than four times Week About
this time an unnamed New Yorker,
through MIR. Gerry, offered fund of $780,
for JnS a,1,I AN o.
vided he were not to play in public UNI
Til he attained manhood. but his father
was quoted as stating that he would not
consent to this for less than 100000. Soon
afterward Josef was suddenly taken from
the stage and commenced course OF
study under the best masters, including
Rubinstein himself of within he was the
only student outside the Imperial conserv-
atory ST. Petersburg. After much sue
| cess in Europe. he returned to the United
States for concert tour in 1898, when he
was 81, and Two years ago he contributed
a series of articles on musical topics to
Il We'll known womans periodical. Two
| years after his first debut America was
enthusiastic over another Infant pianist,
| Otto Hesner, a German lad of only H.
| who also was marvellous i'll his execution.
| And those who saw the BLACK Crook
| in New York in 1873 remember most of
all diminutive violinist. who. In a court
suit of blue satin. a powdered wig and
silken hose. played narvelously upon a
| violin nearly as big as himself. This was
the Infant violinist." James G. Speaight.
| who had been born In London and who
! was now performing in the United States
| at the age Of four. New York went wild
over him, and after his engagement with
the BLACK Crook" he went to Boston.
where he played in the ''Naiad Queen
land led the orchestra of the Boston the
alter until January II. 1874, when at a mat
linee performance he retired from the
stage, complaining of pain in his heart.
1 His engagement was Cancelled, for that
4 night and he retired early. hut about mid
| night his father heard him say. God. can
YOU make room for another little child in
heaven? His father, ON receiving no
answer after speaking to him later. arose
and found the boy dead. His death
brought from Thomas Bailey Aldrich a
written appeal which resulted in the
/ founding of the Boston Society for the
/ Prevention of Cruelty TO Children.
/ OF all musical prodigies of our day. the
one who arose TO tine greatest distinction
in mature years was Adelina Patti. She
was born in 1913, in Madrid, whence hel
father a musician, and her mother, al
opera singer. brought her to America
when she was a baby. and soon afterwart
she delighted to stand upon Il table ant
o
Imost of the airs she had heard her mothe
sing. When years old she made her New
York debut at Niblo's Garden: two year.
later she was regularly singing between
the acts at the old Iyceum. She was ther
known as La Petite Adeline." And sh,
was only 16 when she made her New Yorl
debut as an adult. at the Academy of Mu
sic Such precocity was no more fata
TO her career than it was to those of tn,
great masters. Mozart. Meyerbeer an,
List.
Mozart Mt composed simple chorals n
the harpsichord and at could play
number of ninuets, while at he ha
composed and written several triflin
compositions. When he was 6 he playe
at court. and the well known paintin
by Barckmann shows him. at this age
playing duet with his little sister Ma
: rianne, before the Empress Maria The
resa. Before he was he had publishe
!, six sonatas and when u he wrote "a mas.
: which he conducted in the presence of tn
! entire court And Neyerbecr played at
!. concert when and was recognized as tn
. master pianist of Berlin when only
= while List made his concert debut at
and at II made the great triumph q
Vienna, which ended in Beethoven's kls,
ing him when he finished playing.
u Infant prodigies have grown to be su,
> cessful artists in the DRAMA also as /,
u the case of Maude Adams, who had
$ speaking part the stage as carly as
n when, in 1877. she played Little Seminole
u in one of j. x. I1mmets Fritz" play
e But this was not Miss Adams stage d,
e but, by any means. for that irnporta,
! event had occurred AT tho age Of Q month
II when she played the title role In ...rI
g Lost Child" julia Marowe made her d
IL but as Josephine in 'I'inafore" at IL an
n Ada Rehan first bowed to the footliyh
i when at 13 she played Clara In Aero.
y the Continent Otis Skinner PLAYED
u negro part at Woods museum, PhiIade
IS phia. when IL. and Henry E. Dixey w:
n only 10 when he began as Peanuts In "IJ,
l. der the Gas Light But of all America
e artists on the stage today, Elsie Lesl
a made the greatest success as a child a,
e tress. When she played with Jeffersr
n as Little Meenie in rip Van Wrinkle
j. and when only she so pleased Mrs. Blu
1t nett by her acting the title role
= "Editha's Burglar" that she was selectf
t. to originate the title part In Little Io,
10 Fauntleroy." in which she became famol
ID as the T-year -old star. After starring all
l. in Mark Twa.n's THE Prince and ii
" Pauper," she left the stage at 10 to stut
lie until she was 10.
Ia Such careers as the most of these te,
r to explode the old notion that unusu
s. precocity augurs premature death or
n long life membership in the Great Medic
lrity. John Iclfreth Watkins