making his entry into the capital; Philippe Auguste placing his children under the protection of the Municipality of Paris, previous to his departure for the Holy Land; Francois I. laying the first stone of the Hôtel de Ville; Napoleon III. signing the decree annexing the suburban communes to the City. Gun barrels-1738-H. P. Tipper. Mats, matting, and brushes-1758-G. and D. Hurn. Mattress-1863-S. Dummere. Oils, lamp-1768-W. Jenkins. COLLECTION OF LEADEN ANTIQUITIES.-The city of Paris Optical illusions, production of-1588-G. Bonelli. Railways, permanent way of-1842-J. E. Wilson. Signal for calling cabs, day and night-1113-E. Wilson. 1492-R. Howarth. Type, apparatus for composing-1845-A. Mackie and J. P. Jones. 1816-H. A. Dufrene. 1 INVENTION WITH COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FILED. PATENTS SEALED. 274. E. P. Colquhoun and J. P. 275. E. P. Colquhoun and J. P. 279. J. Sainty. 288. A. S. Stocker. 292. C. Lungley. 324. W. H. Latham and F. C. 351. C. Field. 370. A. V. Newton. 376. E. Lord. 396. A. V. Newton. 421. J. von der Poppenburg. 1058. C. F. Cotterill. Proceedings of the Society. MUSICAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE. The Committee met on June 5th, 1865. Present: HENRY COLE, Esq., C.B., in the chair, Sir Geo. Clerk, Bart., Sir J. Harington, Bart., Sir J. P. Boileau, Bart., Sir. Francis Sandford, and Capt. Donnelly, R.E. M. OTTO GOLDSCHMIDT was examined by the Committee as follows: 174. You are one of the Professors of the Royal Academy of Music ?-I have been so since Christmas, 1863-about eighteen months. 175. Professor of what?—The pianoforte. 176. Have you had an opportunity of becoming acquainted with the system of management there generally, or is your experience limited to your own classes?-I have become to some extent acquainted with it, because I have the pleasure of knowing, in addition to the Principal, one or two of the directors of the Academy. I have repeatedly had conversations with them on the subject; and this, together with the experience I have gained in the discharge of my own duty, enables me, I believe, to judge of the working of the Academy. 177. You understand that the object of this Committee is the improvement of the Royal Academy of Music, which, like all other institutions, may perhaps be said to be capable of improvement. Have you any objection to state generally your opinion with regard to the Royal Academy of Music, and, as far as your experience has gone, the opinion you have formed with respect to it ?-Before offering any opinion perhaps I ought to state that I was for three years a student at Leipsic, at the time when Dr. Mendelssohn Bartholdy was chief director. I also know to some extent the Academy of Vienna, and the academy lately established at Dresden. I am honorary member of the Royal Academy at Stockholm, and I have had some opportunity of observing the working of the Academy at Paris. This comprises the extent of my knowledge of the musical academies abroad. 178. Do you find much difference between those academies and the Royal Academy of Music?—Yes. 179. Broadly speaking, what should you say the differences are:-The difference is in the working chiefly. The Royal Academy is worked, if I may so say, by professors individually; whereas abroad it proceeds from 612 [No. 664. VOL. XIII. ... 612 of South Australia-Wine in South Australia The Sidney Mint Bill — South Australian Revenue-Census in Auckland-The Murray Duties Notes:-Monmouthshire Prize Scheme Association-French Rural Education -Insect Destroyers-Technical Female Education-Cost of Cleaning the Streets of Paris-The Sardine Fishery... Patents 614 614 a directorship as its centre, and there is more of one spirit prevading the continental academies than seems to be the case in the Royal Academy. I think there is a want of unity of working. 180. You think there are good reasons for arriving at that opinion, and that probably the cause might be remedied-In my opinion certainly. 181. Will you favour the committee with your opinions on that subject?-The Royal Academy is not worked by departments with responsible heads. There are many professors. I can hardly tell the number, but I believe there are nominally half as many professors as pupils, say about thirty-six professors to about seventy pupils. The Royal Academy of Music had no grant from the Government until last year, and I hope I shall not give offence in saying that there have been many opposing interests, which the Academy has found it necessary to conciliate, and which, with a position rendered firmer by means of a public grant, it might disregard. All the professors teach independently of each other. taught at the Academy eighteen months, and during that time I have had very few opportunities of speaking with the other professors about our pupils and their progress. The professors are paid per lesson, and, no provision at present existing for joint deliberations with regard to their pupils, they cannot engage in such deliberation except at the sacrifice of the hours that should be given to tuition. I have 182. In point of fact the professors go there simply to give the lessons to the pupils:-Yes; I speak under correction when I add that the only distinction as to their position in the Academy consists in their rate of payment. In other respects we are all on a level. I consider this should be altered. 183. Has there been no board of professors since you have been connected with the Academy?-About the time I entered on my duties the functions of the "board of professors" ceased. The professors have pupils varying considerably in proficiency assigned to them; this hinders the simultaneous instruction of several pupils by the same teacher. It is my opinion that if I had four or five pupils fit to be taught together, they would learn three times as much as if they were taught singly; for, besides being a longer time under instruction, they would also be subject to the additional impulso derived from emulation. At present, in the instrumental classes, each pupil is entitled to two halfhours' instruction on his special instrument (besides other instruction) per week. 184. Are they not all taught in classes?-It is generally understood that the teaching should be in classes; but in many classes I believe the proficiency is so varied as to render it useless for all the pupils to attend at the same time. When I was at Leipsic, under Dr. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, there were never less than five or six pupils taught by him at a time, extending over not more than two hours. In correcting one pupil he instructed the others at the same time; but in that case the pupils were pretty much on a par with each other. It was a saving of time and trouble to the professor, and a benefit to the pupils. 192. You have instanced Mendelssohn, who did not object to teach five or six in a class, but who probably would not have taught singly-Yes; and he had the best students, who felt it, of course, an honour to be under him. 194. Will you favour the Committee with your views with respect to there being too many professors in particular branches of music at the Academy, and the insufficient payment made to them?-With regard to the payment I cannot speak about that, as it is a matter of private arrangement. 205. As far as you are acquainted with the foreign conservatoires and academies do you know whether they all have principals?-Cologne and Brussels have one, Vienna also had when I knew it. They are very differently constituted. At Leipsic, during my time, Mendelssohn was virtually the principal, though not appointed as such. There was a board of five directors, of whom Mendelssohn was one. 206. Professional directors ?--No; not absolutely professional, but gentlemen for the most part well versed in music. Mendelssohn was one of the founders of the Conservatoire at Leipsic, and during his lifetime he was the leading soul of it. I wish to refer the Committee to several allusions to the Leipsic Conservatoire (as well a that projected for Berlin by the late King of Prussis) contained in the 2nd volume of Mendelssohn's letters, under dates February 13, 1841; November 23, 1842; April 13, 1843; March 6, 1845; as well as the memorandum of May, 1841 (see Appendix, p. 606). 207. It is stated here (referring to a printed report) that none of the directors of the Leipsic Academy are 195. Are you under the impression that the professors educated musicians, and the president is a retired lawyer, are insufficiently paid?-I am. Having observed that therefore this report bears out the idea that the directors there are too many professors, looking at the number of of that Academy are not necessarily professional musicians. pupils in each branch, I would explain as follows: I-No; the social relations on the continent being very would not restrict the number of head professors to one different to those prevailing in this country, the tw in each department, because, in a city like this, there is systems cannot easily be compared. The retired lawyer an ample supply of first-rate talent from which two or spoken of was an intimate friend of Mendelssohn's, who, three head professors might with advantage be selected, again, was an intimate friend of M. David, the principal but there should not, I think, be so many as, for example, violin professor. ten or twelve different styles of pianoforte-playing in an 208. At the same time you think it desirable that academy, as the independent teaching of ten or twelve some direction should be exercised by persons having 3 professors might involve. At present there are eight or professional status?-I believe it to be more than ten professors, and some sub-professors, of the piano-desirable-necessary. There should be a principalforte alone. With the exception of one examination a professional man, who can give his chief time and year, and occasional playing with the orchestra, there are energies to the duties. no means of publicly testing, within the Academy, the progress of the pupils. I believe there used to be two examinations in the year, which enabled the authorities to follow much better what the pupils did, and the second examination should be resumed. At present no professor is responsible for what is done beyond his own class. If the Academy were divided into departments, according to the different branches of tuition, there would be in the several departments head professors, responsible for the tuition, although carried out through the medium of subordinate teachers. 198. Do we understand the system you recommend to be this that there should be two or three head professors say of the pianoforte?—Yes. 199. That under these head professors there should be a certain number of subordinate professors, who should educate the beginners, with the view of their ultimately going into the classes of one of the head professors. For instance, that A should have a certain number of pupils under him; and the same with B, and so on-Quite so, with this addition; I would make it imperative upon the head professors to see what their juniors do. 209. The best man in fact who could be obtained?Yes; and unfettered by private engagements. 210. Are you of opinion that the fees are what they ought to be?--I have already stated my impression to be that they are not. 211. What do you consider the principal inducement on the part of professors to connect themselves with the Academy? Is there a prestige or distinction attached to the teaching at the Royal Academy? With the younger professors I imagine this would be the case. It might be so with many. With all the professors there would doubtless be the satisfaction of seeing the results of ther labours in the ultimate proficiency and distinction of their pupils, which they can hardly expect among their amateur pupils. 212. The question as to the fees was intended rather to apply to those paid by the pupils of the Academy What is your opinion with regard to the fees required from the students?-I think they are higher than a great many pupils can conveniently pay for their instruction 213. Do you think the amount of the fees sometimes prevents the acquisition of good pupils by the Academy 200. And they should be responsible for their subor--I will not say they prevent the acquisition of good dinates-Yes; and the head professors responsible to the principal and directors. The head professors should receive an annual stipend in virtue of their office, quite independently of the fee for their lessons, whatever that may be. 201. You see no objection to the head professors appointing the sub-professors?-No; I think it well that they should nominate the sub-professors for whom they are to be responsible, assuming this course to be in other respects convenient, the appointment being subject to the principal. 204. You have said you would recommend heads of the different departments; are you of opinion that there should be a principal over the whole Academy, to whom the head professors should be responsible; or do you think it would be better to reconstruct the board of professors and have no principal-I think there ought to be a principal. pupils, but they no doubt preclude some from entering the Academy at all; in other cases it may lead to st dents leaving the Academy prematurely. The fees in many cases, I have do doubt, are provided at conside able sacrifice on the part of parents. I have already, cra previous occasion, expressed the opinion that there shoul be many more exhibitions connected with the Acader y than there are at present. There are now only tw whole exhibitions and two partial ones. When the Leinsic Academy was founded, in 1842-43, Mendelssohn appears to have felt--and I believe some importance is attached by this Committee to the example of Leipsic--that i could not be founded without a public grant. (See the letters alluded to.) About that period a Leipsic citiz placed, by bequest, at the King's disposal, the sum of 20,000 dollars, to be devoted to some object or an Mendelssohn sitcceeded in obtaining that money for the establishment of the Conservatoire, on condition the exhibitions should be founded, of which there are at the of the Academy at the present time; but with regard to present moment, I believe, ten, the general fee, never-instrumental teaching, I consider the teacher ought to theless, amounting to no more than one-third of what be able to play for his pupils all the music that he puts it is here. before them. 214. Are you in favour of as many exhibitions as possible, subject to proper regulations ?—I think they should be fixed in proportion to the number of paying students, say in the ratio of 20 per cent. 215. Do you think it right that students should pay certain fees, or that the education should be gratuitous, as in Paris?--In this country I think fees should be paid. 216. Do you think thirty-three guineas a year too high; or do you think the fees should be varied according to the circumstances of the students?-My impression is that there should be a senior and a junior department, and the fees of the latter should be lower. This regulation has, I believe, been lately adopted at the Royal Academy. 217. By juniors you mean those of inferior musical qualifications?—I mean, as a rule, the younger students. I have been in most of the towns of importance in England, and, excepting the cathedral towns, I think there is no other country in the provinces in which good musical instruction appears so difficult to obtain. Many students come to the Academy either too late or insufficiently instructed; and if there were a junior department in the Academy, and means could be taken for assuring the parents, as far as practicable, of the proper housing of the students from the provinces, they might come earlier to the Academy, and have a better chance of rising in it. There are some few young pupils, but, with these exceptions, the pupils for the most part are somewhat advanced in years in proportion to their attainments. 218. I see in the Academy prospectus there is a junior department with a fee of seven guineas per term-that is twenty-one guineas a year; does not that appear to be rather high? if the fees were lower they would get more pupils ?-Under existing circumstances the instruction received by the pupils cannot be obtained for a lower fee, although I consider it highly desirable that it should be lower. 221. Looking to the class of persons who for the most part attend the Academy, what would you say should be the largest fee they ought to pay?—That is a difficult question to answer at once. I presume all the students coming to the Academy come for professional objects; at least that is what we wish if it is the institution it ought to be. 229. Which foreign institution could, in your opinion, furnish the committee with the most valuable hints as to management?-They would probably each one furnish something that would be useful, but they would require to be adapted to English notions and practices. 230. You mentioned Dresden as a new institution. Do you think that embraces all the recent improvements that have been introduced into the conduct of such institutions?-There are some features in the Conservatoire of Paris which would be the greatest boon to the Royal Academy present or future. One is their excellent band of instrumentalists. The Leipsic Academy is an excellent one. So I understand that of Cologne to be. I belong to the board for awarding the Mendelssohn scholarship in this country, and at a recent election the successful candidate was sent to Leipsic, as the place affording the greatest facilities and stimulus for his further progress. 231. Leipsic was selected in preference to the Royal Academy or any other place?—Yes. 232. You concurred in that individually?—Yes; chiefly on account of the great encouragement given there-the impulse given to the student. 234. Can you direct the Committee to anything worthy of imitation at Vienna ?-I do not know it sufficiently of late. My impression is that Paris, Leipsic, and Cologne possess the most thriving conservatoires, and they are ably managed. 236. Do you find the accommodation of the present premises of the Academy all you could wish ?-We hear each other in the adjoining rooms, and that is undesirable. 237. You would not object to improved premises ?No; but they should be centrally situated. The present locality, as a centre of the musical portion of London, is a very good one. It may be termed the musical centre of London, being in the neighbourhood of many concertrooms, and also of the music sellers and instrument makers, not to mention that it is in the neighbourhood of the residences of many of the professors. 238. Looking to your present acquaintance with the musical status of England, do you think it would be in your power to submit to the committee hereafter a plan for the payment of the professors, fees for pupils, and for the extra exhibitions which you would recommend? 222. You would wish it to be confined to persons in--Personally I should have no objection to do so; but I tending to pursue music as a profession?-I assume that to be so. 223. Would you like it so?-I assume it would be confined to such. 224. Do you exact any test of competency before you admit a student, with or without payment of fees?There is an admission test I think now; nevertheless the Academy, in its present condition, can hardly afford to reject pupils for want of qualification. 225. Will you point out the difference between teaching other arts-drawing, for instance-and teaching music?-In class teaching of music it is necessary that the pupils in each class should be pretty much on a par, or else one less advanced keeps back the others; in drawing it would not necessarily be so. 226. We have heard that there are from ten to twelve teachers of the pianoforte in the Academy, all of them, it is to be presumed, good executants themselves. Is it your opinion that because a person is a good performer he must necessarily be a good teacher of the instrument? -I should not say necessarily so. 227. Should you say a person was competent to give instruction on an instrument of which he was not himself master-I should say, as a rule, not. 228. But how would it be in the case of singing, where many of the best teachers are not remarkable for their vocal powers-That is the case with some of the masters do not think it would do any good, and might appear presumptuous on my part. 239. Of what improvements do you consider the system of the Royal Academy of Music susceptible?I answer-individual opinions and suggestions have been offered before, and the musical world has seemed so divided that no practical good has resulted from those individual plans. My plans would share the fate of those which have gone before. 240. It would help the committee in the consideration of the subject.-I believe I could give my own notion in very few words now. 241. That is assuming adequate funds are forthcoming for the purpose of the Academy?-I would have the tuition of the Royal Academy comprise singing, string instruments, the pianoforte and organ, and wind instruments, harmony, counterpoint, composition, and such further knowledge of the art and history of music as may justly be expected from an institution of this stamp. The tuition should also include the study of church and cathedral music, not to compete with special cathedral education, but as an essential part of a complete musical education. Again, the Academy ought to have a fair instrumental band as an indispensable means of instruction. 242. You mean independently of the students?-If there are not sufficient instrumentalists amongst the students, the orchestra should be supplemented by paid musicians. 243. Is that the case in Paris?-The orchestra of the Conservatoire of Paris is avowedly most efficient. But to return to the Royal Academy. The students being taught composition, and being encouraged to produce specimens of their own proficiency, should be provided with the means of having them decently performed. Further, there should be a proper musical library. Encouragement and stimulus should be given to the pupils by instituting additional exhibitions to be competed for, as well as minor prizes. I would further suggest, as the highest prize, one or two scholarships, to be awarded for not less than two years, to students on leaving the institution, as available either for the purposes of travel or otherwise with a view to further cultivation of the art, free from the necessity of its exercise for self-support. 244. You would leave the professional instruction solely in the hands of professional people?-Yes; certainly; in fact that is indispensable. 245. Would you approve of lay committees and directors?—As a rule. In my opinion a directorship of laymen works very well, and would prove a support to the principal. For the rest I believe that in the earlier part of my evidence, referring to principal, head professors, sub-professors, &c., I have sufficiently indicated the organism by which the plan thus sketched should be worked. And now I wish to add a few words with reference to the status of the Royal Academy. It has been much attacked, and in my opinion its faults have been a good deal exaggerated. My own impression is that, though of late years it may have been at a rather low ebb, the present directors and all connected with it are doing their best to raise and improve it, and that there is decidedly an upward movement. Whatever the faults of the Royal Academy may be, and I have no doubt it has some, I am certain that, with alterations of the nature already described, it would command the confidence of the country in a greater degree than could be expected of any new institution. I have found by personal experience the best professors of music in the large towns to have been students of the Royal Academy. The main object of the Institution, as I apprehend it, is not so much to produce individual instances of conspicuous attainment as a comparatively numerous body of wellinstructed and competent musicians. In this the Royal Academy has hitherto been to a considerable extent successful, and I am not aware of any other institution of the kind in this country of which so much can be said. A list has been prepared (which is given below) comprising many of the principal towns of the United Kingdom, in which, as already mentioned, the chief professional musicians are known to have been students of the Royal Academy; and while, with regard to them, it may fairly be presumed that they entertain a kindly feeling to the Institution where they have pursued their studies, it is obvious that, with the developed efficiency which an amended organisation would secure, the Academy would rise in their opinion, and, thus strengthened by their increased support, would command the confidence of the country at large. APPENDIX. LIST OF FORMER STUDENTS OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC, NOW ESTABLISHED IN THE COUNTRY AS PRO FESSORS: Aberdeen-W. Adlington, pianoforte and vocalist; R. Latter, vocalist and pianoforte; R. H. Baker, pianoforte, and org. St. Andrew's. Bradford-J. Burton, pianoforte; Miss Freeman, pianoforte and vocalist. Brighton-C. Goodban, Mus. Bac., pianoforte. Cheltenham-M. Von Holst, pianoforte and vocalist. Exeter-W. Baly, pianoforte, org. St. Leonard's. Glasgow-A. C. Johnson, pianoforte; J. Thomson, pianoforte, org. Glasgow Cathedral. Gloucester-T. Goodfellow, pianoforte, org. Philharmonic Society; A. W Wheeler, pianoforte. Greenwich-Miss La Feuillard, pianoforte and harp. Hanley-T. Chantery, pianoforte. Harrow-on-the-Hill-J. B. Turner, pianoforte. Hillsboro' (Belfast)—Mrs. E. B. Harper, pianoforte and vocalist. Heversham-R. T. Wilson, pianoforte. Isle of Man-J. Barber, pianoforte; H. Canan, pianoforte (bandmaster); D. Reeve, pianoforte. Isle of Wight-S. Shaw, pianoforte (Ryde). Ipswich-R. L. Nunn, pianoforte. Leeds-J. W. Pew, pianoforte; J. W. Sykes, pianoforte. Leicester-Miss Deacon, vocalist and pianoforte. Liverpool-B. R. Isaac, pianoforte; S. Percival, pianoforte; W. Streather, pianoforte; E. W. Thomas, pianoforte and violin; C. J. Toms, harp and pianoforte. Macclesfield-Miss H. Condron, vocalist and pianoforte; G. Gee, pianoforte. Manchester-C. Bloxsome, vocalist and pianoforte: C. A. Seymour, pianoforte and violin; J. Wrigley, pianoforte. Marlboro'-W. S. Bambridge, pianoforte, org. Col lege. pianoforte. Newcastle-on-Tyne-Miss Larbalestier, vocalist and Newcastle-under-Lyne T. Mason, pianoforte. Northampton-C. McKorkell, pianoforte and org. A Saints; Miss McKorkell, harp and pianoforte; G. Packer, pianoforte. Penzance-J. H. Nunn, pianoforte. Pershore-Miss Tovey, vocalist and pianoforte. Plymouth-F. Burford, pianoforte; T. E. Weekes pianoforte; S. Weekes, pianoforte. Poole (Dorset)-Miss Churchill, pianoforte and vocalist. Ramsgate Miss F. Martin, pianoforte. Salisbury-Miss L. Aylward, vocalist and pianoforte : C. J. Read, pianoforte. Shrewsbury-Walter Hay, pianoforte. Taunton-J. Pridham, pianoforte and vocalist. Torquay-T. Brooks, pianoforte; C. Fowler, pianforte. Weston-super-Mare-W. H. Palmer, pianoforte. Wimborne J. W. Smith, pianoforte and org. Minster. Windsor-Miss Kellner, vocalist and pianoforte. Wolverhampton-G. Wheeldon, pianoforte. Woolwich-Miss Whomes, pianoforte and vocalist. Worcester-Miss D'Egville, vocalist and pianofort R. Mason, pianoforte. York-E. White, pianoforte. Bath-J. K. Pyne, vocalist, pianoforte, org. the LETTERS FROM MENDELSSOHN REFERRED TO IN ANSWER Abbey. Belper-C. Batchelor, pianoforte. Birmingham-Mrs. Baker, vocalist and pianoforte. No. 206. To Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy. Leipzig, February 13th, 1841. The Berlin affair is much in my thoughts, and is * subject for serious consideration. I doubt whether will ever lead to that result which we both (I believe) |