"THE GREATEST PHENOMENON OF THE AGE."

Evening Post, Volume XXII, Issue 67, 17 September 1881, Page 4

"THE GREATEST PHENOMENON OF THE AGE."

The musical world has been much amused at the report from America which tells of the determination of a poor boy named Blind Tom to follow Rubenstein to Europe in order to exhibit his wondrous powers as the correct imitator of the magnificent execution of the King of Pianists. If imitation be, as philosophers declare, the most effective mode of flattery, surely the great musicion ought to be satisfied. Blind Tom is the negro boy whs possesses the organ of harmony so fully developed that, after listening to the performance of a piece of music — no matter how difficult — he can repeat it over without missing a note, exactly in the same style, exactly with the same method of phrasing. The manner in which this singular faculty was firat discovered is of great interest. The gentleman in whose house Blind Tom's father had lived as butler had given a great musical party, and the boy's fondness for music had induced him to stand behind the door to listen. When the company had dispersed and the household had retired to bed, great alarm was occasioned by the sound of the piano issuing from the concert-room, and the perfect execution of the piece first played by the great pianist who had been charming 1 the gueßts with his splendid talent. The room was in darkness, which rendered the adventure even more mysterious, but when lights were brought Blind. Tom, to whom night was as the day, was discovered seated in rapture before the instrument, and willing to play piece after piece in the same order in which the great musician of the evening had played them. Since then Blind Tom has been occupied in jonrneying through the States as " the greatest phenomenon of the age," and has made a goodly fortune.