Ruth Slenczynska talks and plays two Rachmaninoff Preludes (1963)

Outtakes from a 1963 television appearance in which the American pianist Ruth Slenczynska (born January 15, 1925) recalls her meetings with Sergei Rachmaninoff and plays two of his Preludes (Opus 23/9 in E flat minor and Opus 23/2 in B flat major).
The complete recital plus the lengthy interview "Remembering Josef Hofmann" is available on a DVD with the title "Tribute to Rachmaninoff", produced by VAI Music, and can be purchased here:
www.vaimusic.co...

[@marciabattat7133]

This is amazing piano playing! I studied with Ruth in New York City in 1961 and will never forget her piano lessons and her details she put into each of my lessons!! Happy Birthday Ruth on your upcoming 96th!!! Marcia Battat

[@a.a.dehulster7567]

Must have been an informative experience! Please tell us something about her advice on technique, did she give you any? What is mrs Slenczynska’s secret of that beautifull intense sound she pulls out of the instrument? Thanks in advance!

[@williamnelson792]

​@@a.a.dehulster7567shifting accents and slow practice😂

[@johnrakthai]

Did she teach things that are no longer taught today? Tell us about technique!

[@Highinsight7]

I took a few lessons with her when she was in Edwardsville IL... very disciplined training... no stone un-turned...

[@barney6888]

@@williamnelson792 eeyup

[@smcmpiano]

An amazing experience to have studied with her for my Master's degree --- Happy 95th birthday, dear Ruth!

[@jacktrainer4387]

I hadn't heard of her prior to yesterday. Piano isn't my instrument, but I love Rachmaninov. What an experience that must have been for you! She's amazing!

[@johnrakthai]

Did she yea h technique that is no longer taught today?

[@MusicismoreImportant]

In 2022, at age 97, she recorded her first album in nearly 60 years for Decca Classics, a classical music record label

[@leslieackerman4189]

The cutest and most honest smile in piano history. And fabulous pianism

[@thibomeurkens2296]

I usually don’t really like Rachmaninov but these performances are truly amazing. Miss Slenczynska is a genius. All of her performances I’ve heard are incredible. We are lucky to have her in our world.

[@barrygordon5323]

She is amazing,plus the second prelude is really a great piece ..and she diffinately more then does it justice....she is also incredibly humble,,and a great artist.

[@MaxLima1]

This is such a precious document. Thanks a lot for uploading, pianopera!

[@johnspradling7906]

I grew up in St. Louis, MO during the time Ruth taught at SIU. I knew her students through competitions, and later in life, had the privilege of meeting Ruth and spending time with her, the first time which was at the Russian Tea Room on W 57th St. Ruth has an electricity about her that is not only present when she plays, but even in conversation. She is always positive and glowing in conversation, so much so, that when she plays, you may be expecting to be impressed by her dazzling pianism, but the authority she projects is that of a giant. It is simply inexplicable. Thank you, Ruth, for fabulous career that has given pleasure to countless millions!

[@giovanna722]

I can see that in this performance. She almost expands to accommodate the dynamics of the music. What an incredible life she's led. A young female in the largely male world of classical piano. Must have been regarded as a freak by many.

[@gerry30]

@@giovanna722 A year since your post. But I just saw it. Classical music has always been one of those rare things in which the art tends to outweigh the prejudice. Our world today is actually more polarized than in previous times. There have always been women and minorities in which their gifts were equal to the top tier of performance practice of the day and that was more important to the majority of musicians than social status. Liszt was a Hungarian peasant, Clara Schumann and Sophie Mentor, Teresa Careno and Cecile Chaminade were prominent women. Black composers and performers like Blind Tom Wiggins, Scott Joplin and Marian Anderson all come to mind and only classical music seemed to be capable of being harnessed by Daniel Barenboim to create an orchestra comprised of Isrealis and Palestinians. People can be surprisingly human and good despite our own perceptions and conflicts foisted upon us.

[@josephchang955]

One of America's greatest pianist of the 20th century and still with us today!!!

[@dwaynebuggs4080]

A brilliant interview and performance by the phenomenal Ruth Slenczynska Kerr! A stunning tribute to Rachmaninoff! Brava!!! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽🙏🏽♥️💐💐💐

[@christopherczajasager9030]

Amazing beginning with a double note tour de force! Ruth, such a wonderful person and artist!!!

[@MrInterestingthings]

I've heard and seen a million pianists play the big Bb prelude before but I learned more here about how to phrase its huge chords and phrases than eer before .I wish I had heard her.as a youngster in Los angeles i had read much about her and a fellow student of RuthSitjar played this prelude in doublenotes .There was always a student learninfg a Chopin etude or Rachmaninoff etude when we wold have our class recitals . I realize now that I knew and stillknow nothing about the piano .This little woman playing the big Bb prelude reminds me of Haskil and DeLarrocha ,Gina Bachauer's tenths in Mussorgsky! small woman playing big "men's piano pieces "

[@112Allegro]

Extremely authoritative and genuine playing, and with such feeling. Even the maestro himself, Mr Rachmaninoff, would have been proud with how Ruth played his preludes, especially the B flat one Op 23 No 2.

[@amazonianfromboston1933]

Amen, and thank the Lord for gracing us all with such a brilliant and powerful performing talent.

[@jan-olofpohlin8667]

Amazing!!! I've never heard about her before. Stunning, sensitive and skillful intepretations of these preludes. A revelation for me.

[@pghagen]

Amazing how she played these difficult preludes! And now she is 96 years and was playing a Beethoven sonata as I listened to on You Tube!

[@ric55]

I read her book "Music at your fingertips" at the age of 14. It was a very important influence on my musical development.

[@JoeLinux2000]

Yes, it's very down to earth. She emphasizes the importance of being able to read music especially as you get older, as it's a skill you don't lose. Plus, she talks about how to program recitals to keep them interesting, and of course many other things related to learning to play the piano. It's always been a little book that I cherished.

[@michaelsmith697]

What an amazingly talented lady. To think she studied with Rachmaninov! That’s really something special! Brilliant performance Ruth!

[@MusicismoreImportant]

I came from an article about her

[@OlexiyTykhomyrovTiger]

And Mr Rachmaninoff was right indeed about miniatures... Very interesting talk and fantastic performance you put here, thanks a lot for all tracks you selected!

[@JamesVaughan]

I think she was in her prime here! She could produce a big sound and had the nimblest of fingers, without which it would be impossible to do justice to Rachmaninoff's compositions. I heard her back in 1984, in a recital that she gave in a high school auditorium not far from my New Jersey home. A tiny woman, probably even smaller than the great Alicia de Larrocha, but like Mme. de Larrocha she understood that small physical size does not limit the ability to produce a big sound when necessary. She played a demanding programme of big pieces by Brahms, Chopin and Rachmaninoff, and played everything with stamina and aplomb to spare!

[@MrClassicalMusic1]

Ruth is still doing quite well at 94! She does a limited amount of performances and still teaches.

[@RabidCh]

I watched a video featuring her from 2018, incredible.

[@bigbandsrock1]

How wonderful!!! I just admire her to the hilt! What a brilliant artist! @@MrClassicalMusic1

[@angelak.french9340]

I wonder what her reach was/is?

[@JJTownley_Classical-Composer]

Probably the last musician of note alive with a direct link to Rachmaninoff. I wonder if she made a record of these conversations she had with Rachmaninoff on interpretation of his and other's works. What a treasure that would be.

[@bikedawg]

Indeed, someone needs to capture those conversations and lessons she had with the great master, or all will be lost forever!

[@nan16cd]

Wonderful interview and a great performance!

[@SandroIvoBartoliofficial]

Thank you pianopera! What a wonderful document, and wonderful pianist (I am ashamed to confess) I did not know.

[@paulmetdebbie447]

Very sincere playing. Colourful atmosphere. She makes a lot of music.

[@temple509]

Wonderful piano playing. When did this magnificent pianist leave us?

[@temple509]

Thank you.

[@temple509]

9:39

[@michaeltaylor4752]

Thank you for this historical treasure. Inspiring for an old guy who just practices every day to improve lit by little. I love good music, whether to play or listen, and this lady is a wonderful discovery for me.

[@phillipoos]

Amazing !!!! Thank you so much .....what a pianist , what a woman , what a composer , what a teacher !

[@zinam5795]

Thanks very much for good Rhithm & Sound!

[@michaelsmith697]

What a wonderful pianist. Soo technically brilliant and plays with soo much passion!

[@happily12345]

Wew! Duly impressed.

[@이옥희-f8l]

Amazing!

[@RichardASalisbury1]

I know that Ms. Slenczynska was born in Sacramento, Calif., where I now live, and that her parents (or mother?) were/was tyrannical in demanding arduous practice, which she resented, perhaps as late as the time of this TV appearance. It was about that time (1961-63) that I bought her recorded performance of Bartok's Mikrokosmos, which I listened to over and over. I thought her interpretations masterful; they drew me into the music,: much more affecting, even in the beginner's pieces that seemed so simple, than one would expect from looking at them or playing them (amateurishly, as I did). I wish I still had the two LPs (Westminster label I think), and the sheet music (of which I'm missing some volumes).

[@michaeltraub3614]

Both preludes are immensely difficult to play, but especially the E flat minor with its torrent of double notes

[@clydebermingham121]

“You okay like a little girl “ “But I am a little girl “ 🥰🙏🏽🤗 🤗 hahaha 😆🤗🙏🏽 SO ADORABLE 🥰 🤗

[@pianoman551000]

Ruth demonstrates that she studied with Russian teachers as evidenced by her somewhat flat-fingured playing, which was the prominent hand position from the late 19th century Russian school of playing. Both Rachmaninoff and Horowitz played magnificently with this Russian technique. Notice how she digs into the keys for sound, rather than play the key with fingeres positioned just above the keys. A world of difference when promoting a big solid sound.

[@tunatuna6723]

A truly remarkable and titanic force at the keys! I can understand SR's amazement. From my superficial understanding of piano mechanics, Ms. Slenczynska reminds me of her teacher, Hofmann -- the raised arms which come crashing down. She also appears to have very long hands as compared to her overall size.

[@clydebermingham121]

“You mean ‘that’ plays piano?” 🤗 hahaha 🤗 (So Priceless 🤗🙏🏽💥🙏🏽)

[@bachopinbee5991]

That performance was so manly! Big sound and really used her body to make it happen

[@franzleone]

What a document, thankyou so much!

[@anthonydecarvalho652]

Wonderful

[@BrassicaRappa]

Wow! Maybe it's just the quality of the old recording playing tricks on my ear, but something about her playing *really* seems to communicate "Rachmaninoff!" Like it really felt like his style! Also, look, an old Baldwin!

[@oldmanandthesea7039]

For a moment I worried that she would break the piano. What a force!

[@wolfdances]

BRAVO

[@clydebermingham121]

What amazing SOCIOLOGY 🙏🏽💥🙏🏽

[@robertoa.m.3984]

Pity the sound quality leaves much to be desired, because this is a really important testimony on SR's interpretation and perspective.

[@PatGoltz]

Wow! Well, I can see one reason for her longevity! She got plenty of exercise!

[@ronl7131]

Lovely Artist

[@faustianliszt]

The Eb minor especially reminds me of Rachmaninoff's own playing. Very brisk tempo, light touch, and little to no pedal. Maybe my opinion is a little colored by the quality of the recording itself. I wonder what his program was that she played at the age of 9. Anyone know?

[@ТАНЯ-р1е]

Браво

[@clydebermingham121]

🙏🏽💥🙏🏽❤️🙏🏽

[@jacobhuggins5448]

She plays with so much force and muscle. Rachmaninov never played with such this over exaggeration of force.

[@markferwerda7968]

What a thuddy duddy instrument-- what a shame it wasn't a Steinway!

[@Magnet12]

Thuddy Duddy lol

[@josecubela9642]

Ummm… yes, ma’am!!❤

[@angelobonacci461]

Bellissimo il preludio a doppie note meno quello con accordi ovviamente a livello di esecuzione

[@1ImmanuelK]

Sadly, she had to play on an instrument which did not have an adequate repeating mechanism.

[@lkrupp215]

She has been a Baldwin artist for most of her career. She had two Baldwin SD10s in her teaching studio at SIUE when I studied with her 1971-72. They were brutes.

[@markferwerda7968]

What a shame this recording was not made on a Steinway 9'

[@ericb7937]

This could be an advertisement for a Baldwin piano

[@wardropper]

Slenczynska is so well-known and respected that criticism is difficult. However, as Rachmaninoff himself told her: You have to play the way the composer wrote. The first Prelude is "piano" and has a slur over the entire first measure, but what we hear in this performance is almost "staccato" fingerwork, and the dynamic level is not "piano". It is actually rather aggressive. The very end is marked "mf", followed by "p". What we get is just "p".

[@wardropper]

Also, listening to Rachmaninoff's own recordings gives a very good idea of what a wonderful ability he had for maintaining a magical quietness of tone, even in the most challenging rapid passages. There is no recording of the composer playing this piece, but none of his performances ever sounded like a dry exercise. It's tough, but this prelude needs to be phrased, and pedal can really help avoid dryness of tone.

[@sergio6357]

4:30 6:06

[@alanbash2921]

Great Playing..but what happened to the mezzoforte G FLAT MAJOR CHORD at THE ADAGIO ? you played it too Softly...so the last 2 extremely quiet chords didn’t have Rachmaninoff’s Contrast... As Written.

[@rht100]

Looks kind of like jan from tim and eric

[@christopherfritz3840]

I've never heard about her until today (what a rube😖). Nevertheless..😮!

[@a.a.dehulster7567]

Ha, ha, funny, you play like a little girl! Well I am a little girl😄

[@keybawd4023]

I'm wondering why I am underwhelmed by these performances!!

[@pvonberg]

I'm wondering why you're underwhelmed too. Superb playing.

[@pianopera]

Perhaps it's because you're familiar with the Rachmaninoff recordings of a certain S. Richter? ;-)

[@pvonberg]

@@pianopera A certain S. Richter wasn't the greatest of Rachmaninoff performers in my humble opinion. The greatest was a certain V. Horowitz. A certain G. Bachauer was great too. But again, this is marvelous.

[@pianopera]

@Peter - Well, de gustibus non est disputandum but I think *very* few pianists in history could equal Richter in Opus 23/2 for example, in terms of sheer power, control, stamina, balance and conception. I don't believe in 'the greatest' - beyond a certain level of excellence it boils down to personal taste. For me, Rachmaninoff's own recordings are always the benchmark, but I love Moiseiwitsch and Horowitz as well. And there were (apart from Slenczynska) other really fine female Rachmaninoff interpreters, too...just think of Moura Lympany, Nadia Reisenberg and Constance Keene...

[@pvonberg]

@@pianopera And let us not forget the Michelangeli 4th Concerto

[@gjeacocke]

Rachmaninov goes down in my estimation:'hating to work with untalented musicians'. I hope heard that right. I mean it goes against all the TEACHINGS today where top notch players give advice to amateurs. maybe if you had FAITH Sergei, the player may be motivated to play better. just what does he mean by 'talented'? I guess being a musician you have no mercy. I would hate to be taught by Sergei if he had no mercy. strange since he believed in god who showed HIM MERCY.

[@tristananleu4677]

Why so butthurt? Have you ever taught untalented unfocused students? Its a waste of time.

[@dorfmanjones]

She did too much work with the metronome. This is what happens when you become overly dependent on it. When you finally do depart from the metrical, it sounds purposeful and planned, rather than natural.

[@lkrupp215]

That may be but unchecked, unmanaged rubato is even worse.

[@deanwright7611]

What was Hofmann's attitude to the metronome then, for instance? With him I am so impressed by a sense of spontaneity.

[@mariecohen3052]

Metronome study brings mechanical playing. Piano should be singing

[@chrisp4835]

Es la tecnica de Rachmaninoff

[@tanjajablanovic4459]

Amazing!