Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-05-30
HEROES OF SONG.

The tenor is generally cooper, baker,
cabman or a tanner, who has been caught
singing over his tubs, his hot rolls, or his
hides. Why is tenor so rarely 4 law stu
dent, an architect, or an apothecary's assist
ant The problem is one for psychologists
to solve. The only thing quite certain is
that the tenor is never prodigy of learn.
ing. Grammar especially perplexes him;
orthography drives him to despair. He
therefore adopts phonetic system OF his
own invention. "Let him take lessons.
then, you say. Very good but taking
lessons In spelling is confession that he
cannot spell. His prestige would suffer.
What would the idolatrous crowd think OF
their idol on learning that, in letter to
his mother, he had written, "hevery morn
ing heat a raw hegg for the sake of my
eth p Aud his fellow-singers in the green.
room? Wouldn't they make fun of him
Consequently, the tenor abstains from writ
ing; or, if absolutely obliged to write, he
takes refuge in a prudent laconism. One
sweet-voiced gentleman, compelled to an
swer manager who had proposed, by let.
ter, reduction of his salary, thought of
sending his card with the simple phrases,
Z" l maintain my pretentions But the
last syllable of the word sorely puzzled
him. Not liking the look of it with t,
he tried it with double ss, and finally de-
cided on C, pretencions. His geo.
graphical knowledge is equally at fault.
He is offered an advantageous engagement
at New Orleans. and without rejecting
signs at once. " You are going to
see a beautiful country" says the
manager. No doubt. / have often
heard spoke of the Maid of New Or.
leans, and l am particularly fond Of New
Orleans plums." "AhI' says the man
ager, opening wide his eyes. awe start
in three weeks time. Send your luggage
at once to Liverpool" "Liverpool' I
don't know him. Where is his office"
Liverpool is the place where we take ship"
"No ship for me, if you please. You can
20 to sea, il you prefer; shall take the
express train instead" 1t was the same
individual who fancied that horticulture
was the art OF cultivating ortles (nettlesJ,
and who thought to give dignity to Robert
the Devil, who was chevalisr, by wear.
ing the cross of the Legion Of Honor.
Another drawback to the tenor's happiness
is that he himself is the slave OF bis organ.
That voice, which is the source OF all his
success, has to be guarded and nursed with
Jealous care. Sobriety, even austerity,
have to be strictly observed. Slrups, gnu
els, lozenges, hquorice, potions and fan
mel neckties are his fate. Besides which
are to be reckoned his professional labors.
mental and physical Thus between 1889
and 1870, Mario, the famous tenor, learned
by heart, studied, rehearsed, dressed and
performed more than one hundred grand
operas by Neyerbeer, Mozart, Rossini,
Verdi and host Of composers too numer.
Gus TO mention, to say nothing Of the minor
pieces, concerts and the like. Was that
the life Of sybarite And his final des.
tiny is to be forgotten. The painter leaves
his picture behind him. the sculptor his
statute, the author his book, the composer
his score. What permanent record Of the
tenor remains, not merely after his death,
but after his operate life il ended History
speaks of Sophocles, Phidias, Appeles but
what historian two Thousand years hence
will rescue Rubini from oblivion? How
many OF our younger readers have ever
even heard Of R1bini? Unhappy vocalist,
in the midst of thy triumphs " Memento,
tenoye, qasia 7ttlvis e" (Remember, o
tenor, thou art but dust. -GTimes.