The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-01-17

It was through a pupil of Madame
Julie Rive-King that ! was accorded
the privilege of meeting the rare artist,
and l have found that RiveKing, the
musician, and Rive-King the woman, are
essentially the same. The light that
shines in her merry eyes as she receives
the plaudits of her audiences is the out
ward expression of a nature full of
kindly sympathy and good humor There
is nothing of the eccentric about her
either in manner or appearance, and she
recalled more perfectly than any of the
artists whom I have met a thing that
I was told when child-the really great
are always the simplest lin bearing.
It had been raining all day the even
ing we called and the streets were muddy
and very damp, but when we reached
the door of the hotel a bright, vigorous
little body was moving toward us through
the lobby. gowned for the street in
natty tailored suit and jaunty hat.
Il had decided that you were not COM
ing" she said, and was just going for
a stroll to get a breath of fresh air. I
have been on the Pullman so much of
late that feel almost stihed but we will
all go back if you would rather
No one could think of disappointing such
a one as Madame Rive-King so we start
ed on the walk that she had planned
not far just a few squares and back
and back again and yet again, for she
seemed hungry for the cool, fresh air of
the street after the Gagged condition that
her tour has made necessary for the
past week A newspaper package which
she was carrying in her hand when we
met her proved to be overshoes and she
had put them on before coming away
from the hotel Her feet are tiny and
1t seemed a shame to let her walk at all,
but she was like a bird set free from
its cage. I have never seen any one who
more completely suggested energy and
buoyant spirits. Forty years of concert
work has left her with youthful APP
pearance that one would never expect Of
one who has lived so busy life and
manner most unassuming for the woman
who first in America played Tchaikow-
skys rhapsody, Saint-Saen's concerto in
G-minor and Paderewski's concerto.
Four thousand audiences have heard
her play-more than have heard any other
pianist Her admirers are found in every
section of the country. She told of her
Christmas gifts-more than a hundred in
number-sent from many cities by her
pupils and friends. A pin that her pupils
always make her show was worn as
brooch that evening and is the quaintest
trinket imaginable. 1t represents the
KEYS of a piano in ivory and with black
enamel, several inches long and very mar
row Across the center is the name
rive" in a delicate gold tracery. 1t Is
wonderfully made, the pianoforte occupy
ing the smallest possible space, with
each key tiny, yet perfect and the whole
pin a bizarre idea, but effected in the
most ornamental and delicate manner. 1t
was presented to her in 1883 by a large
piano company in st. Louis.
Madame Rive-King is a warm personal
friend of both Fannie Standardization
and Teresa Careno. They must have
made an interesting trio when they met
recently in Chicago. A reporter wrote
In one of the Chicago papers of having
seen the three in a parlor of one of the
hotels where they had met for a little
chat: Madame Julie RiveKing, Madame
Blumfeld- Zesler and Careno," he said,
were seen To-Day IN consultation at the
Auditorium Annex. They have clearly
demonstrated the fact that they are not
only the three greatest pianists, but the
three greatest takers living"
The clever comparison made by some
critic of the work of Rafael Joseffy with
her own was mentioned the other even
ing. At a concert recital both Madame
Rive-King and Joseffy had played
"Joseffy's selection from Chopin" wrote
the critic, "he played like a woman,
Madame Rive-King's Liszt number was
played like man" With the generosity
so characteristic of her she said, THAT
of course, was but play on words
Chopin has more of the feminine and