 Young children , mostly Jewish , were given elementary musical instruction and also learnt the first <unk> of French grammar ... [ There ] I received a few lessons from the young Alkan , four years my senior ... I see once more ... that really parochial environment where the talent of Valentin Alkan was formed and where his hard @-@ working youth <unk> ... It was like a preparatory school , a juvenile <unk> of the Conservatoire . 
