Advice to a Teacher

A German tutor wrote advice for other foreign musicians who were going to be tutors for young English women (Leppert, 57).

• Be proud but greet everyone politely, for the English like to be flattered.
• Prepare yourself with music to fit their taste-no pathos certainly, and short, short recitatives.
• Devote yourself to teh English language, and sing an English aria from time to time. That pleases them very much.
• Praise Purcell to the skies and say there has never been the like of him...
• The usual honorarium for performing at the home of a nobleman is ten guineas. If afterwards you are invited to dinner and are expected to eat with the steward, make it clear that you would rather leave and you will be seated at the nobleman's table.
• If after the meal one is invited to remain when they [the noblemen] begin to drink, one sometimes accepts but sometimes leaves, which pleases them for although one mixes freely with them, one is not on equal terms. It is better if one joins the wives and drinks tea or coffee with th em.

Instruments *** Music at Pleasure Gardens *** Class Distinctions *** Musical Education***Portraits***Main Page***Bibliography