The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-01-06
A TALK WITH RIvE-KING
THE GREAT PIANO vIRTUOs0 ON
MUSICAL MATTERS.
She Was a Great Admfrer Of Anton
Seidl-She Has Enjoyed Her Wis.,
1T to Indianapolis.

Julia Rive-King. the well-known piano
virtuoso, whose reputation is worldwide
and well earned. has been in the city for
the past two weeks. She was called upon
by Journal representative az the Bates
House last evening, but it was only after
adroit questioning that she would consent
to speak of herself and her wonderfully
successful professional career. which COW
ers a period of more than twenty years.
during which time she has given thousands
of recitals and appeared In concert with
orchestra under the baton of Anton Seidl
Theodore Thomas, Nickish. Frank Van der
Stucken and other famous directors. The
numberless little membranes concerning
the musical celebrities with whom she has
come in contact would I'll many columns
She spoke of her first rehearsal under
Seidl. whom she had neglected to furnish
with score OF Paderewskis only concerto
until within few minutes of the rehearsal
CHANGING over at Madame Rive-King, he
said rather sharply: do you know that
have not been given an opportunity to look
into the score of this concerto?" With
ready American wit she answered: 'sIt will
so it proved. When 1t was finished he COM
plimented her warmly, and remained until
his death one Of her truest friends. Seidl
was, she said, a man of great polish. and
never, to her knowledge, assumed the boor-
ish, dictatorial manner to the soloist so
common with directors. There was no
trace of egotism In this great student and
contemporary of Wagner. and who was es-
pecially commissioned to teach wagner
son. He was very emotional, although ap-
pearances seemed to warrant contrary
belief. This was especially true when bis
orchestra was playing some OF ms great
favorites Tschaikowsky) compositions. A
come that he had to be provided with
chair Again, at a dinner which included
many people of the musical world, some
one started a terrible TRADE or ABUSE
against List. The argument was particu-
at the head of the table. Il guess List
can stand It," was his characteristic reply.
AN ADMIRER OF LIST.
Madame Rive-King here dwelt at length
on the wonderful ability Of her former
teacher and master, Liszt. He was. she
said, the greatest pianist the world has
ever seen. even though the musical horizon
is dotted with numberless stars. His
touch. his technique and his marvelously
developed intellectually made his resources
practically inexhaustible, and produced a
result that will forever stand alone. Re-
garding his compositions and numberless
arrangements she said: They At the piano
like a glove fits the hand Thoroughly
original, no detail was too small for his
wonderful ability to beautify. Some one,
in criticising Liszt number not long ago,
spoke of him as the "charlatan." Madame
fx@lf
was called to her notice and drew attention
to the fact that no pianist's virtuosity was
assured until he had LISTS matchless,
masterful compositions in his repertoire.
That is true to-day, and will remain so for
decades to come.
1t is we'll known that Rive-King made
Paderewskfs little mennuet popular in this
country, and she was also the first one to
play his concerto, the only one he has thus
far written. Tschaikowsky's "Fantasie" in
G minor and Saint-Sains's Concerto in
G minor We're first brought out in this
country by Madame Rive-king, she play
ing the latter with Thomas's orchestra In
Cincinnati twenty-five years ago, when
quite a girl, since which time 1t has been
added to the programme OF every pianist.
Saint-Sains, whom she knew personally,
was so pleased that he wrote to her If she
ever came to Europe, no matter when, ne
would come and personally conduct her
performance of it. She deeply treasures
this tribute from the great French master,
and said she was looking forward TO a
realization Of her expectations in the near
future.
SHE IS STILL YOUNG.
Rive-King, in spite of her long career as
an artist, is still young woman. as her
musical studies began when she had to be
lifted to the piano stool. When told that,
Rubenstein-like, "reminiscences and stories
illustrative of a virtuoso's daily life would
be read with pleasure, she naively dis
claimed any talent for authorship. Regard
ing sister-artists, she spoke feelingly Of
Madame. Bloomfield-Zeisslera and Madame
Carenno She met the latter but a few
years ago. Their bookings for several sea-
sons had brought them In close proximity
to each other, but never In the same city
until one evening they met in Chicago,
Madame Zeissler's home. After the close
Of their recitals the three leaders In the
world Of feminine piano virtuosos were
brought together by Mr.. w. s. B. Mathews,
editor of Music, who ungraciously re-
marked afterwards that the two hours
conversation which followed was far from
musical" Madame King spoke in the
highest terms Of her fellow-artists, and
said that the real artist never undertakes
brother or sister artist. They are too
busy in the first place; two-thirds OF their
they are too well aware of their own i'm
projections to criticise others. Madame
King has had very successful season so
far. Starting from New York she has
played in Philadelphia, Rochester, Elmira,
Geneva, Springfield, Mass, North Hamp-
ton, Mass, Detroit, Cleveland. Cincinnati.
Chicago, Louisville and this city. From
here she goes to st. Louis, where she is
to appear on the 18th and 14th of this
month, and Springfield, No. on the 18th.
Madame King is accompanied by her hus-
band who has for some time been In poor
health, and as he is also Madame King s
business manager, some engagements have
had to lapse in consequence. He is much
improved now, and shares with Madame
King the view that they have enjoyed their
stay here immensely, and that indianapolis
is an ideal city.