History is still being dug up.
Peter Jason
WHEN Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart visited London in 1764 at the
age of eight, he was a musical sensation. Crowds flocked to
see the harpsichord and organ recitals of the boy with two
symphonies to his name.
To Daines Barrington, however, the prodigy's visit was less
of a musical spectacle than a scientific opportunity. A
lawyer and amateur scientist, Barrington was sceptical that
such accomplishments were possible in one so young and
determined to investigate the boy's talent.
After scrutinising Mozart's birth certificate, he subjected
him to musical tests such as asking him to sight-read a
complex score. The scientist emerged so impressed that when
he was elected as a fellow of the Royal Society in 1770 he
published a paper in its journal describing this phenomenon.
Barrington's Account of a Very Remarkable Young Musician is
among the highlights of Trailblazing, an online resource
introduced recently by the Royal Society at the start of a
year of celebrations to mark the British academy of
science's 350th anniversary. The collection tells the story
of seminal moments in the history of science through the
archives of the Royal Society's journal. It includes Francis
Crick and James Watson's discovery of the structure of DNA,
Benjamin Franklin's investigations of lightning, Isaac
Newton's discovery of the spectrum of light and Stephen
Hawking's early work on black holes. Each paper is
accompanied by a commentary by a Royal Society fellow
explaining the significance and context of the advance.
"The scientific papers on Trailblazing represent a ceaseless
quest by scientists over the centuries, many of them fellows
of the Royal Society, to test and build on our knowledge of
humankind and the universe," says Martin Rees, the society's
president. "Individually they represent those thrilling
moments when science allows us to understand better and to
see farther."
In Barrington's 1770 paper, he wrote to Matthew Maty, the RS
secretary, in amazement at what he witnessed six years
previously.
"If I was to send you a well-attested account of a boy who
measured seven feet in height when he was not more than
eight years of age, it might be considered as not
undeserving the notice of the Royal Society," he wrote. "The
instance which I now desire you will communicate to that
learned body, of as early an exertion of most extraordinary
musical talents, seems perhaps equally to claim their
attention."
Barrington's first test asked the young Mozart to sight-read
a duet in five parts.
"The score was no sooner put upon his desk than he began to
play the symphony in a most masterly manner, as well as in
the time and style which corresponded with the intention of
the composer. I mention this circumstance, because the
greatest masters often fail in these particulars on the
first trial."
Barrington next asked the boy to compose a love song in the
style of popular singer Manzoli, then a "song of rage".
Again, the scientist was mightily impressed. During the
latter, Mozart "beat his harpsichord like a person
possessed".
When Mozart was asked to play an exercise, his "execution
was amazing, considering that his little fingers could
scarcely reach a fifth on the harpsichord".
Barrington also noted that for all the boy's abilities he
was still very much a child. "For example, whilst he was
playing to me, a favourite cat came in, upon which he
immediately left his harpsichord, nor could we bring him
back for a considerable time. He would also sometimes run
about the room with a stick between his legs by way of
horse."
Rees says the paper is a "nice informal record" of the sort
of studies the gentleman amateur scientists of the day would
routinely perform. Trailblazing includes 60 papers from the
society's journals chosen by a panel chaired by Michael
Thompson, a former editor of its journal Philosophical
Transactions.
The society was founded on November 28, 1660, by a group of
natural philosophers including Christopher Wren and Robert
Boyle. It celebrates its 350th anniversary next year.
The Times
__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of
virus signature database 4720 (20091227) __________
The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4720 (20091227) __________
The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.