Arriola, Pepito (1896-1954)

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Arriola, Pepito (1896-1954)

A Spanish musical prodigy who, in 1900, at the age of three years and three months, was introduced by Charles Richet to the International Psychical Congress. Arriola had only begun playing the piano a year earlier. With his tiny hands, which appeared to grow while he played, he somehow managed to sound full octaves.

He also composed military and funeral marches, waltzes, minuets, and habaneras and played some 20 difficult pieces from memory. At the time, there was no suggestion of a Spiritualist explanation for this phenomena, but 11 years later the boy exhibited the gift of automatic writing.

(See also Rosemary Brown ; Music (Paranormal) ; Jesse Shepard )