Figure 1.--Here we see another portrait of Spanish prodigy Pepito Arriola wearing a sailor suit. This one had knee pants rather than bloomer knickers. We are not sure when it was taken. He looks to be about 12 years old.

We at first did not know who Pepito Arriola was. We now know that he was a child musical prodigy. We find a web reference to "the precocious artist Pepito Arriola", but no details. Another brief note indicated that he was a child piano prodigy. Pepito grew up in a musical family. The family made no spcial efor to interest the boy in music. Then syddemly they began to realize what a talent they had. Pepito's mother expalins when she first noted his musical talent. One report indicated that at the International Congress of Psychology at Paris in August 21, 1900, a Ch. Richet, Academy of Medicine, presented to a general assembly, a 3 1/2 year old Spanish boy named Pepito Arriola who played and improvised piece of varied airs with very rich sonority on the piano. [Voir Revue Scientifique] This was the beginning of a very impressive musical career.

Discovery

Pieces

After his first piece played for his mother, Pepito could gardly be separated from the piano. Af first he played pieces he had heard. Gradually he alsobegan playing pieces he composed in his head. And all of this before he was 3 years old.

First Performances

Pepito's first performance was on December 4, 1899. He was not yet 3 years old and played in front of a group of music critics and musicians. His next performance was after Christmas and he had just turned 3 years old (December 26, 1899). He played at the Royal Palace in Madrid, in front of the King and the Queen-mother. And they were six musical compositions that he had composed. He not only composed in his head, but could recall them note for note.

Pepito at Age 3

He was not yet able to read or write, either Spanisg or music. He had no special talent for drawing. He did sometimes amuse himself by composing musical pieces. His compositions at age 3 did not have any direction. It was amusing to see him taking a piece of paper, to make at the head paper a griffonnage (which indicates the nature of the piece, sonata, or will habanera, or waltz, etc), then, below, to make blavl lines and notes. Afterwards he looks with satisfaction at this paper, sets at the piano, and says "I will play that" and indeed, having in front of the eyes this formless paper, he improvises in an astonishing way. [Alcan] Ch. Richet writes, "To tell the truth, there is in him a narcotic, it is neither the touch, neither the harmony, nor the agility, but the expression. It has a richness of astonishing expression. That it is about a sad or merry piece, or martial, or energetic, the expression is seizing . Often even this expression is so strong, so tragic, in certain airs melancholic persons or funeral, which one has the feeling that Pepito cannot, with his imperfect touch, to express all the musical ideas which quiver in him: so that I would almost dare to say that he is a much larger musician than he does not appear to be it ..."

Devlopment

Pepito's musical abilities from the beginning were astonishing. He can play pieces after hearing them played on the piano. He can also play pieces he had only heard sung. Richet writes, "It is wonder to then see him finding, imagining, reconstituting the agreements of low and the harmony, like a skilful musician. Pepito not only played the piano, but became a master violonist. He astonished the musical world throughout Europe with his youthful talent. He played several great concerts in Leipzig and performed in the Russian capital of St. Petersburg. [Richet]

Sources

Alcan, F. "Compte-rendu officiel du Congrès de Psychologie", 1900, p. 93.

Galdo, Graciela. E-mail message, November 1, 2002.

Richet, Ch. Annales des Sciences psychiques, April 1908, page 98.

Voir Revue Scientifique, October 6, 1900, p. 432.

Created: 11:04 AM 1/5/2018
Last updated: 11:05 AM 1/5/2018