Child Prodigy Alma Deutscher

[SeaAndSky]

Hi All,

I just found an article on this wonderful 11 yo girl, and was so delighted, I thought I'd share. Here is a good intro from the BBC, covering the successful debut of her full length opera "Cinderella" in Vienna:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38467218

There is plenty more out there on her, and the Wikipedia article on her is actually interesting and well written (for a change):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alma_Deutscher#Compositional_method

Here are some quotes that struck me about her compositional methods:

"Deutscher's compositions are said to arrive "...unbidden and fully formed".[19] As she told the Daily Mail: "The music comes to me when I'm relaxing. I go and sit down on a seat or lie down. I like thinking about fairies a lot, and princesses, and beautiful dresses."[20] At Google Zeitgeist, she explained: "When I try to get a melody it never comes to me. It usually comes to me either when I'm resting or when I'm just sitting at the piano improvising, or when I'm skipping with my skipping rope. Or even when I'm trying to do something else, when somebody is talking to me or I'm trying to do something, then I hear this beautiful melody."[15] "When I am in an improvising mood", she explained in an interview with the Daily Telegraph in June 2016, "melodies burst from my fingertips." [21]

Deutscher has described her purple skipping rope as 'magical' and a key part of her composition process: "I wave it around, and melodies pour into my head"[5] A 2015 interview with BBC News showed Deutscher waving the rope in the garden of her family home and singing an improvised melody.[22] Melodies also come to Deutscher in her dreams . . ."

I'll end with a photo of Alma at her opera's debut with famous jump-rope (as we say in the U.S.) in hand.

Cordially,
S&S

PS--Alma has been compared to the young Mozart, but she and her parents prefer that she just be herself, which is plenty in my opinion.

PPS--This type of thing always brings up the question of whether she was some great musician in a PL. I'll leave that as an open question, though I don't consider that to be a necessary prerequisite.

 

[KenJ]

I have used that argument myself, the audition of Connie Talbot is one example that I have used. I don't know how I missed knowing about Alma, she seems to be exceptional. I like the way her parents are addressing her upbringing, I hope that they can keep it simple.

 

[deborah]

Great example. Interesting and I agree with Ken - I hope they can keep it simple.

 

[SeaAndSky]

To All:

Here is a delightful update on this child. It is worth watching the entire hour of the BBC program just to become better acquainted with such a blithe and winsome spirit. There are geniuses and then there are GENIUSES. Likewise, prodigies and PRODIGIES. If she was a flood, she would not be the annual flood, but the legendary 500 or 1000 year flood. However, that just touches on talent. What impresses me even more is her wonderfully light, joyous, magical and playful spirit. I would not say that she is without ego, but there is no heaviness, jealousy or resentment in it (that I can see), just delight in her own magic. No, she isn't the second coming, but she does make me realize what a human being can be capable of:

Cordially,
S&S

PS--It seems natural to wonder who she might have been before, and many jump immediately to Mozart. (I think there may even be a Youtube about her being the reincarnation of Mozart). However, she is more attached to the image of Mozart's sister, whom she believes got the "short end of the stick" in that day and age, though she was also a talent. I have no idea, but it is interesting.

PPS--Wonderful mother and father and little sister. Amazingly, the little sister doesn't seem to be quashed by her sister's increasing fame, and also seems to be a bit of a prodigy as a violinist, though not (as far as I can tell) as a composer. Hmm. It is interesting to think that this might be Mozart and his sister, reprising their roles in a different guise, with Mozart as the elder instead of the younger. But, that is just a speculation.

PPPS--Astonishing to see her be given a random set of musical notes, think on them for about 40 seconds, and then extemporize an entire composition on the piano. Just . . . wow!

 

[SeaAndSky]

I came upon an update, including work at the University of Virginia related to the possibility that she is the reincarnation of Strauss. The update is well worth watching, as it starts with her unique beginnings as a musical prodigy at age 3:

What an extraordinary talent this young child (now young woman) has become. I watched some of her performances/compositions on Youtube last night. There are talents, and there are prodigies, but there are very few people who can really and fairly be labeled as geniuses in their field, especially at such a young age. I believe Alma Deutscher is one.

It is hard to know whether she really is Strauss, or something different altogether, but she is definitely someone whose name (IMO) will one day be mentioned in the same breath with the great composers of classical music.

I hope that she lives and creates for a very long time. I am worried for some reason that she might "burn out"--but she is possessed of what seems to be a very blithe spirit. So, hopefully this will never be a problem.

S&S

 

[Ajay0]

It is possible that child prodigies may have acquired their present talents with the necessary due diligence in past lives.

Mozart composing excellent symphonies at the age of five and even performing before royalty then have been cited as proof of reincarnation by some spiritual teachers.

I personally know of a young chemical engineer who was an elegant dancer in spite of having no background in study and practice of dancing in his present life.

In his past life regression, it was revealed that he was a trained female dancer in a past life with a good background in classical music and dance.