A Child Genius...

[Ilja]

The old modernist avant-garde's still twitching with life. Birtwistle's VC (2009-10) is typical modernist fare.

The important word here is "twitching". Mostly, the Boulezian claim to universality ("everyone who does not do what I do is worthless") is a thing of the past. Instead we have a multitude of voices. Sure, some unbareable music is still produced, but tell me when that was any different? And having bad music around does make you appreciate the good. Listening to new work by young composers can often bring pleasant surprises (it has to me, anyway) - which it wouldn't have done twenty years ago.

[kuula]

Always suspicious to me.  Exploitation. Nothing yet in a child's soul to write great music. Great music needs the experiences of life. JMHO.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Oh, I don't think anyone would claim this is "great" music - merely technically accomplished and promising. Certainly she must know more of life before she can aspire to "greatness". That's why it will be interesting to see how she develops.

[Alan Howe]

Gareth is surely correct: Mozart and Mendelssohn were both child geniuses, but their greatness only became evident with time. The same may be true of Alma Deutscher - we'll see as she grows up...

[kolaboy]

God bless her.; I hope she grows and does well. This planet needs all the enriching it can get.

[semloh]

This planet needs all the enriching it can get.

I think we'd all agree with that.

Art is fundamental to human happiness, and I think society should be careful to nurture artists such as Alma.

[matesic]

Then the question arises, what is the most effective way of nurturing precocious musical talent? In the 19th century the answer would have been clear - a thorough grounding in the compositional practices of previous centuries, coupled with intensive study of the piano and at least one other instrument. Probably wouldn't work today though! At present Alma shows a strong affinity for conventional classical music; it may do little harm to encourage her gently in that, but I for one would be glad to see her take off in a new direction of her own.

[semloh]

This thread is a little tangential to UC's remit, but ... that is a good question. How exactly does one "nurture" a precocious musical talent? I have no idea really, but there might be lessons to be learnt from previous examples. My gut feeling is that 'talent will out' regardless of what anyone does, and that the usual principles of raising children/teenagers(or managing a celebrity) apply. Those responsible walk a tightrope between freedom and control. At least young talent today faces the dangers associated with over-indulgence and excessive 'interference' rather than neglect and impoverishment (e.g. choosing between food and manuscript paper!)

[chill319]

we'll see as she grows up...

Indeed. Add to Mozart and Mendelssohn a couple of other incredibly gifted youngsters: Bruch and Korngold. I wouldn't want to generalize about something as rare and lively as native talent, but thinking of such folks, I wonder whether composers who master sophisticated styles during their formative years (and are showered with praise at the time for doing so) have a harder time shedding that style in later years. Hm. I'm guessing that force of personality is a bigger factor than early talent in determining how one develops as a composer.