The New York herald., 1874-08-18
AMERICANS ABROAD.
Our Colony of Musical Stu
dents in Europe.
italy and France Compared as
Schools of Music.
COST OF LESSONS.
The Advantages of Paris for Ambi-
ti0us Students.

PARIs, August 4. 1874.
There is quite q distressing number Of young
people in America who can play and sing little
too little. Perhaps they have a laint spark OF
talent, or even that feeble, ghmmering ray OF a
something which may be mistaken for genius but
which is sure to be put by the rough storms OF
life and stined by the dust upon its way. Probably
some OF them can sing ballad with natural pathos
or can fiddle 'Yankee Doodle" with CONSIDERABLY VI
vacy; and really, In that case, nine times out OF
ten, the best thing that could be done for them
would be to bind them over as apprentices to
some profitable trade TIL they had forgotten
an about it; for generally 1t happens
that they become the chief actors in a
painful sort OF melodrama which lasts all their
Lives. Good natured friends, who ought each and
Ill to have their tweaked, begin to natter the
creduious young things till they are puffed up to
the chin with nonsense and vanlties. The girl
who can warbe "Auld Robin Gray " in garden
upon summers evening so as to please her rela-
tives while under the influence Of whisky and
water, Is told that she will excel Patti and Nils
son. The boy who can nddle "Yankee Doodle "
is assured that he win leave Ole Bull far behind
him. Then begins miserable business. Money
Is raked togerher-heaven knows how-or proba-
bly, all efforts to collect it come more or less
TO a failure. But the young musicians are
not discouraged. Why should they be2 A
concert Is got up for them in the little town
where they were born, and our excellent contem-
porary, the Haroiager Of Light. aided by the
Lnnd's End Investigator, sets to work printing
Mandatory articles touching its DISTINGUISHED
townspeople. SO by and by away they go on
Cunard steamer. with no luggage but hope anda
bandboX, and q fortnight atterward turn up In
Paris with So so American currency-or somewhat
less-n their pockets Perhaps they have, or per-
haps they have not vague idea that their funds
will not carry them very far; therefore. day or
TWO afterwards a Keen eyed lad who would have
made capital salesman at o store In New York,
or young lady whom nature expressly cut out for
bonnet maker, goes sauntering or bounc-
ing into the United States Legation,
in the Rue Chaillot, which stands hospitality
open to all comers. The young lady usually has
nity cents worth Of music under her arm. and she
bobs in the American fashion to q grave, hand
some young m IN who is seated writing before
table In the inner Office. That is
Mr. GRATIoT wAsHBURNE,
one OF the first amateur artists in Europe, aud
who knows great deal about music and musi-
Clans She is Miss Jemima Somebody, OF Chicago
or elsewhere, and she means TO sing Marguerite,
In "Faust," the very next day at the Grand opera.
All she considers necessary for the purpose Is thar
Mr. Washburne should give her q few lines of in
troduction which he, as the servant OF all Ameri.
can citizens is clearly bound to do She does not
know to whom these magical Introductory lines
should be addressed. She merely taxes 1t for
granted that Mr. Grahot washburne is a necro-
mancer made on purpose to bring her out. The boy
behind her, who came in five minutes afterwards,
Is ready for any OF Marlo's parts on the con-
ditions; or If he has brought his fiddle he would
not object TO lead the orchestra at the Paris OPERA
considering that he has mad rather spare diet
Ence he left the ship at Liverpool. Nothing else
win suit either of them, for possibly some years
have elapsed since the one sung her ballads in the
garden and the other frst fddled our national air.
Since then they may have been earning little
money by singing in churches or playing in con-
Certs at home. that they think they know rather
more than everything that is to be known about
music. The grave young gentleman looks down
upon his writing paper, and there Is an expression
Of pain on his comey face, for he does not like
to say anything that may seem unkind,
however reasonable it may be. But the truth
comes slowly out at last, and the boy and girl go
away very detected May be there Is a sob on the
stairs, and the brave young American hearts that
were 80 valiant and hopeful are bowed down half
broken II that is really what chances to them,
and commonly 1t Is, the wisest course they can
both take IS to find their way back to America as
soon as possible, giving up their golden dream Of
glory at once and forever; bnt they will very
seldom listen to advice. The girl has got it firmly
into her lead that she can sing, and SO mas the
boy; and the next time they present themselves
to Roger-Jemlma boldly taking Casta Diva, from
'Norma," and the mad scene from Lucia" as the
PROOF her vocal powers while the boy tunes up in
one Of the most dflcult parts OF Mario--they both
want to begin at the top OF the ladder where Patti
and Nilsson, Roger and Rubini lett of going up
ward; and there they are all alone in the great
city with music master who does not object to
fees not wholly disinclined to profit by their
illusions.
HOW TO BEGIN.
"DO you wish to sing in concert, opera or ora
t0rioY" asks M. Roger. Well, they had not made
up their minds about that. They want "to try a
little and see how It goes" Jemma will begin at
ence with Lucia or Leonora, in the "Trovatore."
The boy VIII make his bow to a European audience
when he thinks 1t worth while in the character of
Polio. M. Roger smiles.
Well, ambition is a magnificent thing but 1t Kills
too many people; and NJ Roger or some other
teacher of the young idea, finding that his visitors
do not know the first principles OF their art, and
are entirely destitute Of money gets rid OF them by
. few well turned phrases. After week or two
Of semi-starvation they ascertain that they will
need several years OF intense labor before they
do any thing, and they write home Tor more money
Meantime, as misery likes company, they seek out
other musical students in the same foriorn posi-
tion as themselves, and fall to work shrieking Or
Adding in their poor lodgings, till they get notice
quit from the concierge for making disturbance
at unreasonable hours Having heard that they
must work they begin to do 1t at such pace that
they lose their scrap OF voice, with any ar
tistc power that may be within them, altogether
They forget, or have never learned, that modera
zion Is necessary in music, and That no teacher OF
eminence Will allow them to sing or to play more
than fifteen minutes at time They have neither
Judgment nor common sense, and VIII have to pro-
vide themselves with both at the cost Of many
sharp pang.
All the while that there is so much wretchedness
In Paris the good people on the other side OF the
water are expecting wonders. Every steamer
that comes In from E,urope Is expected to bring