AN INFANT PRODIGY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1355, 30 September 1886, Page 2

AN INFANT PRODIGY.

They have dug out what appears to be a genuine infant prodigy in Sidney. The Mail says ;—“ Within this city has been resident for some years a lit.le girl whose muaical powers are phenomenal, whose tiny fiogers fly over the keyboard with fairyliko speed, and who plays nob as if she were giving the result of study or tab r, but as though she were playing with the pianoforte as an ordinary child plajs with her favorite tiy. Little Elsie Hall is now 9 yens or age, and small for her age, There is nothing of the wonderchild about her manner. The talent is inherited from her mother, who for years was known and valued as a teacher of music in Queensland, The little one from her birth heard music constantly, and before she cau'd walk picked out on the pianoforte musical phrases. She played by ins'it ot, and learning the notes has been acquired almost by accident The child has been for some time under Herr Kretsc'cmann’a care, and beyond the ex inordinary facility v.ith which she his triumphed over the difficulties of pianoforte playing, a remarkable advance has been made since the O minor concerto if Beethoven has been s udiad, and the child has not only learned the music accurately from memory, hue has played it with eight instrumentalists associated in the performance. Evidence of the meet satisfactory kind was afforded of this at a gathering of musical conno’saeura assembled recently at the invitation of Herr Kretschmann In the hall at the German Glob. The amszarnent of the andience was as great as their pleasure. In little Elsie there is nothing -o show that ;he is conscious of posses-inc extraordinary gifts. She is a thorough child, not overstrung physically, full of fun, and not disposed to go through any drudgery. Of the theory or science of music she knows very little, her parents having wisely resisted any attempts at forcing her gifts or of overtasking her strength by any intellectual pressure. 'I here is something Irresistibly amusing in seeing this li*tie child seat her self at the.piano and play the elaborats cadenza which Carl Peineoke has composed for the fifth cencerto, her tiny hands unable to stretch an octave, and the < c avoa played by flying leaps at a marvelous paca. While the fingers are busy Elsie is by no means absorbed. The bright dark eyes scan the faces of the company, and the little head turns from side to side to mark all thst la going 011 Her gift is, however much beyond that of running over the keys and remembering music. Her ear is wonderfully true, and she has unmistakable creative power-”