472 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



ably well known to most readers, so that I may pass them over with a 

 brief reference. 



Mozart is, I believe, the true Wunderkind in the magical realm of 

 music. He began to play at so infantile a period that no date is as- 

 signed. At four he could play minuets, in good style probably, for a 

 year after he was exhibited in public. Early in his fifth year he com- 

 posed concertos ; at eleven he wrote an opera buffa, and so forth. 

 Next to him, perhaps, comes Mendelssohn, who first played in public 

 at the age of nine, and whose first dated work, a cantata, was written 

 when he was eleven. Beethoven tells us that he began music in his 

 fourth year, and that at nine he had outgrown his father's teaching. 

 He is said to have written a cantata when ten, and it is certain that a 

 composition for the piano (variations on "Dressler's March") dates 

 from this year. Schubert is another conspicuous instance of early mu- 

 sical development. He, too, soon outstripped his teacher, who said he 

 had got harmony at his fingers'-ends. At eleven he was sufficiently 

 skillful with the violin to play that instrument in church, and at the 

 same date he began to compose little songs. 



The examples just cited illustrate what may be called all-round 

 musical precocity. Others show early talent in a more restricted form 

 of activity. A number of musicians distinguished themselves as lads 

 by masterly execution. Meyerbeer, who as a young child could play 

 any air he had heard, performed at a public concert at nine. Hillier 

 did the same thing one year later. At the age of twelve Spohr played 

 the violin in public. Mehul was installed as organist at ten.* 



Among instances of early attempts at musical composition may be 

 named the following : Schumann tells us that he composed before 

 seven ; Cherubini is said to have written at nine, Auber at eleven, 

 Weber at twelve (his first opera dates two years later), David at thir- 

 teen, Lotti and Rossini at sixteen, and our own Purcell at seventeen. 



We have now to note the very early age at which a number of 

 eminent musicians entered on a regular curriculum of study with a 

 view to professional life. Some of the greatest precocities, as Mozart, 

 Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, etc., having had parents either 

 themselves musical and able to be teachers themselves, or at least svm- 

 pathetic and anxious to get musical instruction for their gifted chil- 

 dren, may almost be said to have begun their professional career from 

 their infancy ; others began to study at a very early age. Thus Weber 

 was sent by his father (himself a musician) to be instructed, at the age 

 of nine. Puck began to study at twelve. In many cases we see the 

 young musician's quenchless earnestness aided by the favor of influ- 

 ential friends, leading to an early devotion to the art, even in the teeth 

 of parental indifference or active opposition. Handel and Haydn are 

 striking cases in point. 



* Two living musicians are remarkable instances of precocious executive talent : Ru- 

 binstein played the piano in public at ten, and Liszt at twelve. 



