^. IMAGE EVALUAT'ON TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^O % > .^i" Yu 1.0 I.I 1.25 Itiyj |2.S m u 2.0 u I :.6 VI vl > w %/l '^J- O^M Hiotographic Sciences Corporation <. f » -iv'^ ^y ^ ^ 23 Weer of concerts in Madrid tliat not only furnished them with recreation and amnaement, but proved popular with the people. Their families were well-to-do in the world, and it was la-adly necessary for them to adopt the mode of living which they have followed for seven years ; but they determined to jierfect the or- ganization and travel through Spain, their only recompense, whereby to pay their exp-nses. being such amoimts as they could collect fh>m the crowds that gathered to hear them. I uia mode of life they fallowed until a little over two yenis ago, when they planned n visit to the Paris Kx|'i>- sitlon. They walked the entire distance troni Madrid to Paris, and in each town or clt>', as they passed through, delighted the naUves with specimens of their wonderful skill. Alter a brief vtt^ "fl,^,, <,„„ i,„ir,„„crit 1» t.mchMl. The most delicate nhaJing is acconHili-h.-d wiH. a dexteilty to the exposition. It wss their intention to return at once to Spain ; but they took I'ariy l)y stonnt Their playiug excited unboimded enthusiasm. They were patronized by the nobility, recei^d flattering ofibrsof engagement on every liand, and they deterauned to remain on the concert stage. The result is that they have not, from that day to this, made their return trip to their native land. The knowledge of their skill ai>A>usicians spread far and near, and, since their ap]>earance nt Purls, tlicy have played in Italy, i^itzerland, Germany, Holland, France, Russia, Hungary, Bel glum, Pruaila, Austria and Bngland, and in all these countries they met with the greatest success^ immense audiences assembling to hear them. Their last engagements, prior to leav ing for this country were in London. ■WHAT THEY PLAY AND HOW THEY IIVE. Their instruments consist of guitars and muudoiiuB, all of which have double the number of strings of ordinary instruments, the guitars having fourteen and sixteen strings, and tlio mando- lins twelve. The oldest of the troupe is 37 years of age, and the youngest "">. When otf tho Ktaj-e the; wear ordinary English clothing, but when publicly engaged lu their 'ession, t liaUr oostunn' consists of a black velvet blouse, a cloak of the same material thrown er the ri^dil, shoulder, velvet knee-breeches, black silk stockings, shoes with large silver buckle-^, regular studbtat lists of block felt, fastened to which are Ivory spoons, the euiblem of the Spanish students. For ages it lias been die custom for Spanish collegians to wear n spoon on the hat. as an indicatiob that they Iwlonged to the educated classes, and this troupe have bro\iglit that custom to this country. They .are all single men and In deportment arc perfect gentlemen, inclined to be rather quiet and dignified in the presence of strangers, yet having among themselves, that degiee of jovialty and fim-luving disposition usually found among fellow-students. They endeavor to follow as cl^ly as possible the Spanish mode of living, but exhibit a persistent and univert>al desire to know the manners and customs of the countries through w^' >trument, In forte paaaajfa, tifl volume of tone i* far greater than one would naturally exp^ r. and it ia free IVoM the dia^pwavili vibratory "twang "hitherto regarded aa insoimrable firon. :t guitar played loudly. In the ligkter passages the ellbcte arc exquisite; to coin a phrase, they are like musical lace, delicate, yet Ann, in whteh every fine thread of uielmty ciiuibinos «itli its fellow s in thermost beautiful of designs. All four of the scleetions played last night were given with a marvelous degree of expression, the delicocy of i-liadhiR beinj; really woi Oeilul, considering the niunber of the performers and tlia hitractilili' nature of the instruments ; and it is no exaggeration to say that orcbeatal elKsota were lundiici'.l Willi alldcUty soaicely conceivable. This was tieat IIIu8trate?/i Yuri' Herald. Abbey's Spanish students first met a New York audience, at Booth's Theatre, last night. Those duKky young musicinuF had liceii ofien Hllndud to by us prior to their appearance in AmericH. Their first appttarunce in this country w!i» made ill Boston, several weeks ago, and upon that occasion they repeated the triumphs already achieved at lionic. The style of work performed by tli'im is exceeiliiigiy unique and striking. They play upon mandolins and guitars, and the music thus produced 1" wholly indescribable, TliWr tiaining has been marvelous, and every vibration of the strings is in such jierfect accord that one liiids it ditlicult to U^liftve luora that is simply wonderful, and theiity of passion whioh i« not Ibund among instrumentalists of colder dimes. So that, aside from tho merely mechanical merit of their p(.i r(>rinances, they present a novelty in conception. They are certain of lung populai'tty wherever they may af^ar, and then- engagement by these managers was a brilliant biisiucu stroke. From the Brooklyn Eagle. The great feature of the entertainment, however, is, unquestionably, the concert given by the Spanish Stq.deiits, The instruments are mandolins and guitars. The eombinaliona of sound produced by these instruments could not be imagined until they were heard. The naovement of the Spanish aWi Is molt infectioua, the music h weird and strange in its'geueral character and, at times, irreslstably recalls "Carmen." But what is more astunitihiug than anything is the perftct promptitM^ and precision with which these Instruments ar&stcnck. 'fhouuta' or- chestra, at its best, cannot excel the Spanish Students in accuracy of tempit!, andtbe efAet of the string*, as handled by them, ia something iudescribable. Xhe ScsVseleetion lirought*Mw.u ' flie house, and It seems as though the audiMiHl would not conseiif to let them go, aa Indeed It aid not, until, having played some of our owu and the Russian national anthem, It consented ■aillnstrate the " Bab'es on our Block." The success of the students was instantaneous aud ^werwhelmlng. From the Nets York Times. Perlmpa the moot meritorious and charming feature of all was wlien the Spanish studintt came upon the scene in their darkly picturesque attire, performing melovlics in which the true soul of music was perceptible. It was this that raised tho perforfnance out of the level of mere fun to gaudy splendor. tVom the PhUudelphia Timei, We have resarved a Place for Kpecial mention of the Spanish Students, ^^llose musical en tertaiiiincntis so meritorious as to make it the t.!reat feature of the e-:hibitio-.i. These ai'tista have liecome so well known through the furore created by (heir long engagement in New Vuik, following an extended Kuropean Toiu', that their appearance last evening was eagerly aud our- inusly awaited. Curiosity gave place to lUiqualilled luliniiation when they touched the striugl of the mandolin and guitar, and the wcinl Spanish nnisio fell upon the ear. Late ha it was, the i:;.-".'..-.::.-s -,v!i= sj.s'.lh.-.;-,-,!.-',, sn.i wh*>r, tli.' i',>~'- iiim>l-.-v v, s- ci.nntiiiip.l, r.ii.-.th.''. iif-.d iittotlH'r wn* laaded with enthusiasm. In responding to le-calls, the Ktndents pinycd a pot|>ourii o' UHtionalalrs, and finally delighted paniuatte and galleries \\ ith an apotheosis of " 'I'lio Babies on Our Block." It ia impoHslblc l<> give any idea of the extended and eulogistic press notices tho 'MlMlJ^h Students have everywhere reoeWad In this uoontry. It is the same euihuslastic story overs ^*here. ^, ' ^ ' t^Oti i' V i-vv .; , ;» ^ ■ ' Pk•^ 4a,. *«p*'