The Spanish Students was a musical group from Madrid which popularized the tuna form of traditional student bands. It gained international recognition after performing at the Carnival of Paris and the Paris Exposition of 1878. Under the name Estudiantina Española Fígaro, members of the original group toured France, Germany, Russia, Italy, Holland and England. After two years touring Europe, some members also toured North and South America in 1880. The original group was founded by Dionisio Granados in 1878. The group inspired many imitators, some of whom performed under the name Spanish Students or Española Fígaro. Their performances led to the popularization of the mandolin in Europe and America, and the formation of mandolin orchestras.
Formation and European tour
The original group was founded by Dionisio Granados in 1878. They danced and played guitars, violins, and the bandurria – a small double-strung instrument that resembles and was often confused with the mandolin. Estudiantes Españoles were already a popular tuna when they appeared at the Paris Exposition of 1878. Under the name Estudiantina Española Fígaro, smaller numbers of the original group toured Europe for the following two years, performing in France, Germany, Russia, Italy, Holland and England, as celebrated artists.
US tour
The Spanish Students were brought to the United States by Henry Eugene Abbey in January 1880, performing with his Humpty Dumpty Combination. They performed first in Boston then at Booth's Theatre in Manhattan. Their US touring group consisted of 20 men. Four or five played guitars, one played the cello, and the leader played the violin. The other nine played bandurrias, which US newspapers referred to as mandolins or Spanish mandolins.
Influence
The Spanish Students created a sensation at the Paris Exposition, and popularized the tuna form of student performing groups. Their success spawned other groups who imitated their musical style and costumes. Among the imitators were a wave of Italian mandolinists who toured Europe in the 1880s and 1890s, and the United States by the mid-1880s, playing and teaching their instrument. Thousands of young men and women took up the instrument as a pastime, and it became a symbol of society. The popularity of the mandolin reached its height just after the turn of the century. Mandolin orchestras were formed worldwide, incorporating the mandolin family of instruments and also guitars, double basses, and zithers. The mandolin's popularity in the US was spurred by the success of the Spanish Students. An Italian musician, Carlo Curti, hastily started a musical ensemble after seeing them perform; his group of Italian-born Americans called themselves the "Original Spanish Students", anticipating that the American public could not tell the difference between the Spanish bandurrias and Italian mandolins. The imitators' use of mandolins helped to generate enormous public interest in an instrument that had been relatively unknown in the US.
Members
It is difficult to ascertain the membership of the original group, as the name of the group has been used by many impostors, as well as splinter groups in which some of the members performed separately. The lists below are from specific tours or performances.
1880 United States
After touring for almost two years in Europe, this group of the students came to the United States, touring well into 1881. Those arranging the US tour expected 22 musicians, but only these 15 were confirmed to have arrived at the port. News accounts of the performances report a group of consistent size. When reports mention the number of instruments, the number of guitars and mention of the violin or cello varies.
