Having recorded for the Decca Gold Label in the 1950s and 60s, Ruth is thrilled to return to the label nearly 60 years later to release a brand new solo piano album, recorded in 2021, entitled My Life in Music. The album celebrates her remarkable life and performing career which began as a child prodigy in the 1920s and continues nine decades later.
When asked about her new album, Slenczynska said,
“Unbelievable! Whoever heard of a pianist my age making another album? I’m grateful if they like the music. Music is meant to bring joy. If mine still brings joy to people, then it is doing what it is supposed to do”
Born in 1925 in Sacramento, California, to Polish immigrants, Slenczynska gave her concert debut at the age of four (just as the world entered the Great Depression), performed on television aged five and at six made her European concert debut in Berlin. 92 years later, the extraordinary pianist still performs to audiences around the world.
As a child, Ruth Slenczynska was taught by some of the most celebrated pianists in history. She is the last living pupil of the great Russian composer-pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff, and even stepped in for him at the last minute when he was unable to perform due to an injury. The pair would often drink tea together and, to this day, Slenczynska wears a Fabergé egg necklace the great musician gifted to her.
My Life in Music is inspired by Slenczynska’s personal connections with Rachmaninoff, as well as American composer Samuel Barber, who was her fellow student and friend. Slenczynska heard Barber’s now world-famous Adagio for Strings in the classroom, before it even had its title.
Slenczynska also explores the music of Chopin throughout the new album, including a piece she performed at the memorial service of one of the greatest pianists of all time, Vladimir Horowitz, a life-long friend. Chopin’s music formed Slenczynska’s musical foundations, with her father making her play all 24 Études before breakfast every morning. Slenczynska went on to earn a reputation as one of the most celebrated Chopin interpreters. The album also features pieces by Debussy, Grieg and Bach which, for her, conjure memories of some of her great piano mentors: Egon Petri, Alfred Cortot and Josef Hoffman.
A phenomenal performing career has seen Slenczynska appear at some of the most prestigious concert halls around the world, as well as for the likes of President Reagan, President Kennedy, President Carter and Michelle Obama, and has even played duets with President Truman and the (now former) Empress Michiko of Japan (with whom she is friends). She has also written extensively with many articles published and two books to her credit.
Still an active performer, Slenczynska performed at the 2021 Chopin International Festival and Friends in October 2021 in the Polish Embassy in in New York and is set to celebrate her 97th Birthday with a recital at Lebanon Valley College, PA, on 6 February.
Laura Monks and Tom Lewis, Co-Presidents of Decca Label Group, say,
“It’s remarkable to think that Ruth made her concert debut before the birth of colour movies, and around the same time as the birth of television! The fact that she is still at the top of her game over nine decades later is extraordinary. It’s very hard to think of anyone, in any profession, who has achieved such a sustained period of excellence.”
Label Director of Decca Classics, Dominic Fyfe, says,
“We are privileged to have Ruth record for Decca again, some sixty-six years since she first recorded for the label in New York. One of her earliest producers was Thomas Frost and we were delighted to unite her with Thomas’ son David, the multi GRAMMY award-winning producer, for this new album. Decca has a long-cherished history of bringing great pianists back to the studio, from Shura Cherkassky to Jorge Bolet. Ruth was friends with them both and her pianism is one of the last living links to that golden era”.

柴可夫斯基的《第一钢琴协奏曲》是一部最通俗的协奏曲，但就其构思之宏伟和作品的规模而论，它可以称为用钢琴和乐队演奏的一部交响曲。这部作品反映出作者对生活的热爱及对光明与欢乐的热望，它深具民族特点、……作者在这里引用了一些真正的乌克兰曲调，同时也特别鲜明地表现出柴可夫斯基的协奏曲的一些特点，那就是巨大的力量、宏伟的规模同真诚率直的抒情性的结合。这部作品的思想内容和艺术形象之丰富，它的主题的多样和对置，紧张发展的乐思所具有的内在的巨大力度，都是它那激动人心的魅力所在，也正是这些特点，使得这首协奏曲在作者生前就已广泛流传，欧美各国音乐会舞台时常有各种类型的钢琴家演奏它，作者也经常把它列入自己的交响音乐会曲目，多次亲自指挥这部作品的演出。到1878年，尼古拉·鲁宾斯坦终于也理解到这部作品的优点和价值，并出色地演奏它，从而也使这部作品更加牢固地确立了它在音乐会舞台上的地位。
1. 极庄严而不太快的快板。降B大调，在4把圆号演奏的降B小调引子后，大提琴与第一小提琴主奏降D大调主题，钢琴以华彩发展，这个主题据说是柴科夫斯基在卡缅科集市上，从一个盲乞那里采集到的歌曲旋律。第二主题以降A大调先出现于单簧管，钢琴加以反复。在发展部，第一主题纠缠上新音型，以钢琴为主形成变化。主题深情、真挚，如梦般甜美。
2. 朴素的小行板，降D大调，三段体。行板主题为牧歌风格，先由长笛独奏，再以钢琴接替，然后交给大提琴、双簧管。中段速度为最急板，变成匆忙的随想曲。第三段再由钢琴以独奏行板主题，加上颤音与音型装饰变奏。是柴可夫斯基最优美的抒情篇章之一。
3. 热情如火的快板，降B小调，回旋曲式，在4小节引子后，钢琴主奏开始回旋主题，接着小提琴以降D大调用八度奏庄重抒情的对比主题，两个主题的纠缠发展形成高潮。终结部以降B大调形成辉煌的结尾。主部主题是乌克兰歌舞曲《亿万卡，快来唱春歌》，音乐表现春天来了，农时即将开始的欢快、奔放的情绪，副主部是十分抒情优美的同时也充满生机，音乐洋溢着青春和难以抑制的内心喜悦。
第一乐章整个都是快速的节奏，音乐开始时的几十次琴键的重击，让人整个心都飞了起来。之后的旋律更让作为“旋律大师”的柴可夫斯基表露无疑。节奏的亢奋激进，高昂的气势，让生处喧闹都市的生活虫们感到了生活的压力与动力。虽然，第一乐章中间也是有舒缓的旋律的，但是，总体上还是快的节奏，让我们感觉在这样的都市的生活的艰难，为了生活而艰苦的奋斗。
第二乐章整个节奏马上舒缓下来，如果说听第一乐章让你感觉是面对汹涌澎湃的大海的话，那么第二乐章就是让你步入了森林中畅快流动的小溪，不时的还会有活泼的小动物跑过你的身旁。让刚才你亢奋的心情得以缓解，你能感受到生活在都市的你依然有着成功的欢愉，清新流动的旋律让你对生活的希望充满信心，整个人就像是沐浴在温暖的阳光中，呼吸着明媚的空气（不要以为我用错了形容词，空气的明媚意味着憧憬和希望）。为了成功而奋斗的动力也就油然而生。
第三乐章又重回较快的节奏，但是同时也有着优雅的旋律，这是成功后的快乐，在成功后的兴奋中，享受着那份激动。同时，快速的旋律也在提醒着我们，成功来得不容易，可能失去得也快，只有更加的努力，才能取得更大的成功！ 整首曲子在激昂的旋律中结束，完美，只能用完美来解释！
此版本为阿巴多指挥柏林爱乐乐团，阿格里奇钢琴演奏的柴科夫斯基《第一钢琴协奏曲》，1994年实况录制，“企鹅”评价三星，“音乐圣经”推荐版本。

A deeply passionate and sensitive performer, Christian Blackshaw is celebrated for the tremendous emotional depth, great understanding and incomparable musicality of his performances. He performed the complete Mozart piano sonatas at Wigmore Hall between 2012 and 2013, and this is the first of four concerts recorded for Wigmore Hall Live. Of these great works, justifiably considered to be at the pinnacle of the solo piano repertoire, Blackshaw says:

‘…to my mind, the sonatas resemble mini operas, even if conceived for and performed by a solo player… For me, they imbue the spirit with joy, laughter, sadness, contemplation, exhilaration.’

Recorded live at Wigmore Hall, London, on 6 January 2012

Total time: 93.02