Giuseppe, though working hard in the warehouse, also found time to attend all the rehearsals of the Philharmonics, and began the task of copying out separate parts from the score.  His earnestness in this work attracted the notice of the conductor, Ferdinando Provesi, who began to take great interest in the boy, and was the first one to understand his talent and advised him to devote himself to music.  A Canon in the Cathedral offered to teach him Latin, and tried to make a priest of him, saying, “What do you want to study music for?  You have a gift for Latin and it would be much better for you to become a priest.  What do you expect from your music?  Do you think that some day you will become organist of Busseto?  Stuff and nonsense!  That can never be.”

A short time after this, there was a mass at a chapel in Busseto, where the Canon had the service.  The organist was unable to attend, and Verdi was called at the last moment to take his place.  Very much impressed with the unusually beautiful organ music, the priest, at the close of the service desired to see the organist.  His astonishment was great when he saw his scholar whom he had been seeking to turn from the study of music.  “Whose music did you play?” he asked.  “It was most beautiful.”

“Why,” timidly answered the boy, “I had no music, I was playing extempore—­just as I felt.”

“Ah, indeed,” replied the Canon; “well I am a fool and you cannot do better than to study music, take my word for it.”

Under the good Provesi, Verdi studied until he was sixteen and made such rapid progress that both Provesi and Barezzi felt he must be sent to Milan to study further.  The lad had often come to the help of his master, both at the organ and as conductor of the Philharmonic.  The records of the society still have several works written by Verdi at that time—­when he was sixteen—­composed, copied, taught, rehearsed and conducted by him.

There was an institution in Busseto called the Monte di Pieta, which gave four scholarships of three hundred francs a year, each given for four years to promising young men needing money to study science or art.  Through Barezzi one of these scholarships was given to Verdi, it being arranged that he should have six hundred francs a year for two years, instead of three hundred francs for four years.  Barezzi himself advanced the money for the music lessons, board and lodging in Milan and the priest gave him a letter of introduction to his nephew, a professor there, who received him with a hearty welcome, and insisted upon his living with him.

Like all large music schools, there were a great many who presented themselves for admittance by scholarship and only one to be chosen.  And Verdi did not happen to be that one, Basili not considering his compositions of sufficient worth.  This was not because Verdi was really lacking in his music, but because Basili had other plans.  This did not in the least discourage Giuseppe, and at the suggestion of Alessando Rolla, who was then conductor of La Scala, he asked Lavigna to give him lessons in composition and orchestration.