The New York herald., 1851-11-18

agricultural resources ofthe soil.
The WORKING OF THE CLAQUEUR SYSTEM AT
OPERA AND CoNcERTs.-It will be seen,' by ro-
ference to the 1if,que on the Italian Opera, in all
other column, that the claqmea0 system was in ope-
ration last night again. The description given of
it by our musical reporter, in Sundays HERALD,
is exceedingly funny. At Jaelrs concert, on
Saturday evening, at Tripler Hall, at which the
whole force of the Italian Opera troupe were pre-
sent, the applause seems to have ministered as
much to the amusement Of the audience as the con-
cert itself. 1t not only ceased to have any mean
ing, ard becamea farce, but indicated, when it
loudest and most protracted, the very opposite of
what it is usually intended to express. When any.
thing was particularly bad, then the ciaquevs
commenced applaudng with all their might, to
the failure and to warp the natural judgment
Of the audience, who are always right when left to
Themselves. Thus, it happened that the very wors.
vocal performances of the evening were encored
aud placed on the same leve with the best, and
right and wrong were completely confounded.
This attempt, however, to bolster up broken
down artists, and palm off their harsh, screaming
notes ss music, will not do in the present day The
public ear has become accustomed to musical ta-
eat of the highest order, for the last two or three
years, in this city, and correct taste has csus
been formed, that cannot with impunity be set at
defarce, or even despised Miserable artists will no
longer pass muster, ard the manager who trusts to
them will be woful y disappointed. The people must
have the genuine article, else they VIII no. paytori
But this elaqgeur system is applied to good as
well to bad and indifferent artists. It is used to
exalt those that can do very well without it, o. the
~ zAIa H. If
and from whom the apFlaussis withheld, in order to
give the public, and perhaps the artists themselves,
tie impression Of iaferiority. This is unfair; and
the audience ought to set it right whenever they
witness it, as they did last night.
During the last fortnight this system has been
carried on in the Astor Place Opera House,
under the direction of the oyster house critics.
There has been an evident disposition to applaud
Badiali at the expense of Bettini and SteGlnone,
who are at least good artists in their line ne
is in his He possesses high merits as q vocalist
but the attempt Of an organized bard OF clIqueurs
to give him an importance and position beyond
wha. is fairly due to him, viii do him serious
Injury with the public, and particularly with
judges Of music for, unfortunately the ciaqwegS
sometimes give the applause in the wrong place,
and people stare in astonishment, not knowing
wha: i. is all about.
We we're surprised, at first, at the excessive ap-
plauFe given on several occasions, where there
nothizg to call for or justify il; but We thought
it might possibly be the resul: Of an erroneous
judgment, started by few, and followed by the
ignorant, as sheep follow beltwe.her. But the
S, ste matte manner in which the practice pur-
sued night after night, and especially Oh Friday
evening last-when the beautiful opera Of Maria
di Roban" was represented-conylnced Us that we
were too charitable in the FIRST opinion We had
formed, end that the misplaced plaudits were no:
the Spontaneous expression Of the feelings Of aly
part Of the audience. We trust there will be no
more Of this humbug, and that those who pay to
see an opera will be left TO form and to express
their own unbiased judgmen. Of the merits Of the
artists.