-
Articles/Ads
Article DR. MARK AND HIS LITTLE MEN. ← Page 2 of 2
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Dr. Mark And His Little Men.
present our readers with a slight sketch of his system , and of the springs and other machinery of his entertainment . Dr . Mark , as he observes , does not present his pupils , or " little men , " to the public either as finished musicians or as prodigies of musical talent in course of development . Such as their talent is , it is certainly being developed , and like the large majority of their countrymen , they have an
average amount of musical talent , and therefore a fairly correct musical ear . Let gainsayers say what they will , the fact that the English , as well as their brethren of their own island , the Welsh and Scotch , and their brethren also of the " Emerald Isle , '' are a musical people , is becoming day by day more established and more acknowledged . Qut of these people does Dr . Mark choose his pupils , and at first without knowing what amount of musical ability any boy may have . That is to be discovered afterwards ,
and on it , of course , depends the boy ' s place , prominent or otherwise , in the band . They are , for the most part , sons of mechanics or persons of that class ^ and they receive , in addition to the musical education given them by Dr . Mark himself , a sound practical English education , from a master of experience , engaged for them by the Doctor , and liberally remunerated for his labour . We had not long since the advantage of a long conversation with Dr . Mark , who took considerable pains to put us in possession of his
system , which is simple and intelligible . He has , within the last few months , taken a large establishment in Bridge-street , Manchester , which he makes his head quarters , fe family , his schoolmaster , and the u little men" live and pursue their studies , musical and otherwise ; and from the perfectly easy and yet respectful manner of the boys when with the Doctor , and from the unaffected kindness and cheerfulness of his manner towards them , it is clear that they lead together a very pleasant
and harmonious life . Every now and then out he sallies , with some thirty or more of the boys , on an expedition of a fortnight or a month , to some half dozen provincial towns . When thus moving about , he generally gives two concerts a day , one in the afternoon and one in the evening , and usually finds time to give one to which the poor , the aged , and the National School children are admitted free . The boys , moreover ( who , by the bye , thoroughly enjoy these concerts quite as much as the audience , and enter
into the whole spirit of the music with an amount of gusto worthy of musicians of the highest order ) , are by no means idle during these excursions into the provinces . Dr . Mark engages a large room on purpose for their studies , and school is regularly carried on under the superintendence of the two or three seniors who are seventeen or eighteen years of age , each boy
being engaged on some exercise or lesson , which will be looked over or heard by the schoolmaster on their return to Manchester . The seniors just mentioned are intended by Dr . Mark shortly to leave him , and act , still under his guidance , as directors of the conservatories of music above alluded to , which it is his object to establish in the numerous towns and villages of England , Scotland , and Ireland .
There can be , in our opinion , little or no doubt as to the beneficial result of this musical instruction in furthering the progress of civilization in the rural districts , and perhaps also in aclvancing the interests of the educational movement general !^ . We can only add , that we heartily wish Dr . Mark success in his benevolent aftd praiseworthy endeavours to promote the welfar e of tlmsg under his charge . v 4
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Dr. Mark And His Little Men.
present our readers with a slight sketch of his system , and of the springs and other machinery of his entertainment . Dr . Mark , as he observes , does not present his pupils , or " little men , " to the public either as finished musicians or as prodigies of musical talent in course of development . Such as their talent is , it is certainly being developed , and like the large majority of their countrymen , they have an
average amount of musical talent , and therefore a fairly correct musical ear . Let gainsayers say what they will , the fact that the English , as well as their brethren of their own island , the Welsh and Scotch , and their brethren also of the " Emerald Isle , '' are a musical people , is becoming day by day more established and more acknowledged . Qut of these people does Dr . Mark choose his pupils , and at first without knowing what amount of musical ability any boy may have . That is to be discovered afterwards ,
and on it , of course , depends the boy ' s place , prominent or otherwise , in the band . They are , for the most part , sons of mechanics or persons of that class ^ and they receive , in addition to the musical education given them by Dr . Mark himself , a sound practical English education , from a master of experience , engaged for them by the Doctor , and liberally remunerated for his labour . We had not long since the advantage of a long conversation with Dr . Mark , who took considerable pains to put us in possession of his
system , which is simple and intelligible . He has , within the last few months , taken a large establishment in Bridge-street , Manchester , which he makes his head quarters , fe family , his schoolmaster , and the u little men" live and pursue their studies , musical and otherwise ; and from the perfectly easy and yet respectful manner of the boys when with the Doctor , and from the unaffected kindness and cheerfulness of his manner towards them , it is clear that they lead together a very pleasant
and harmonious life . Every now and then out he sallies , with some thirty or more of the boys , on an expedition of a fortnight or a month , to some half dozen provincial towns . When thus moving about , he generally gives two concerts a day , one in the afternoon and one in the evening , and usually finds time to give one to which the poor , the aged , and the National School children are admitted free . The boys , moreover ( who , by the bye , thoroughly enjoy these concerts quite as much as the audience , and enter
into the whole spirit of the music with an amount of gusto worthy of musicians of the highest order ) , are by no means idle during these excursions into the provinces . Dr . Mark engages a large room on purpose for their studies , and school is regularly carried on under the superintendence of the two or three seniors who are seventeen or eighteen years of age , each boy
being engaged on some exercise or lesson , which will be looked over or heard by the schoolmaster on their return to Manchester . The seniors just mentioned are intended by Dr . Mark shortly to leave him , and act , still under his guidance , as directors of the conservatories of music above alluded to , which it is his object to establish in the numerous towns and villages of England , Scotland , and Ireland .
There can be , in our opinion , little or no doubt as to the beneficial result of this musical instruction in furthering the progress of civilization in the rural districts , and perhaps also in aclvancing the interests of the educational movement general !^ . We can only add , that we heartily wish Dr . Mark success in his benevolent aftd praiseworthy endeavours to promote the welfar e of tlmsg under his charge . v 4