Page:Barrington - Account of a very remarkable young Musician.pdf/8

 The word he pitched upon for this second extemporary composition was, Perfido.

After this he played a difficult lesson, which he had finished a day or two before : his execution was amazing, considering that his little fingers could scarcely reach a fifth on the harsichord.

His astonishing readiness, however, did not arise merely from great practice; he had a thorough knowledge of the fundamental principles of composition, as, upon producing a treble, he immediately wrote a base under it, which, when tried, had a very good effect.

He was also a great master of modulation, and his transitions from one key to another were excessively natural and judicious; he practiced in this manner for a considerable time with an handkerchief over the keys of the harpsichord.

The facts which I have been mentioning I was myself an eye witness of; to which I must add, that I have been informed by two or three able musicians, when Bach the celebrated composer had begun a fugue and left off abruptly, that little Mozart hath