Ruth Slenczynska: (1941-1963) Rediscovery / Adult Concert Pianist Years

Ruth Slenczynska circa 1957 by James J Kriegsmann 

Early Teaching career (Early to late 1940s) 

Ruth started her early teaching career when she was accepted into the University of California. At this point, her focus wasn’t on playing and more on teaching. On top of her teaching, she met her first husband and married him in 1944. They later separated due to complications in 1953. Her career would take a big change when an individual who represented the Carmel Bach Festival heard her playing while at the school. She was invited to play at the festival in 1951 and that’s how she was introduced back into playing for venues!

Playing for Presidents (1948) 

Slenczynska has prided herself in performing for many presidents throughout her life. She has played for Ronald Reagan, Herbert Hoover, John F. Kennedy, and Jimmy Carter and has even played a four-hand duet with Harry Truman in 1948. She says that he played “very musically and attractively”.  

Publicity Photo, ca. 1948. (Ruth Slencyznska Collection, SIUE)

Ruth’s Name Change (1951)

During Ruth’s break from music, she was making a living as a piano teacher. As many know, Ruth did not have a good relationship with her father and was pushed over the edge when she decided to go to college and abandon playing in concert. However, despite this past grudge, Ruth decided she was going to fly to Salt Lake City when she found out her father was ill. Ruth did not make much money as a piano teacher, and this was a big deal. Despite Ruth’s efforts, her father would not see her. Ruth came to terms with this and forgave her father, but this later led her to decide to change her name. Ruth Slenczynski decided to change her name to Ruth Slenczynska. This change was dedicated to declaring her independence and separating herself from her childhood musical career under her father and her new music career.  

Last signature with Ruth’s original last name 

Ruth Slenczynska Biography. (n.d.). Www.siue.edu. https://www.siue.edu/~tdickma/RuthBiography.html  

Carmel Bach Festival (1951)

As stated above:

While teaching piano in Burlingame, California, Ruth was overheard practicing a Bach work by a representative of the Carmel Bach Festival. He invited her to perform there. At the festival, she impressed many by her outstanding performance. This marked her introduction back into public piano performance.

Carmel Bach Festival July 16-22, 1951

Credit: Ruth Slenczynska Collection, SIUE.

Arthur Fiedler – Boston Pops (Early 1950’s) 

When she resumed playing in 1951, she struggled with her self-confidence due to her trauma growing up. After an invitation from Fiedler to join the Boston Pops, Ruth consulted another musician and great friend of hers, Arthur Rubenstein. He quizzed her on many pieces and tested if she could play them from memory. She played flawlessly and Arthur told her to take the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. In the early 1950s, Ruth went on tour with  Boston Pops Orchestra for 4 years. During the tour in her 3^rd year she learned how to let her audience know she was glad to be there and how to handle the audience which gave her confidence to perform again. In the beginning, Mr. Fiedler was the star on the show and got the majority of the praise but by the third year, Ruth received just as much if not more praise than Fiedler. This led to her being cut from the tour because there was only enough room for one star.

This is Your Life with Ralph Edwards (1956)

As Ruth’s fame continued to rise and develop during this period in her life, her marketing manager did an excellent job at outreach to get her name out. Ralph Edwards, a popular TV host during the 20^th century with many shows, had a show called “This is Your Life”. The show explored the individual’s life being discussed in front of a live audience and having colleagues, friends, and family join the conversation. Ruth was invited onto the show and was joined by some of her musical friends and musical colleagues such as Arthur Fiedler. The episode aired on May 30^th, 1956.

25^th Playing Anniversary and Rededication (1958)

On the 25^th anniversary of her first concert in 1958, Ruth overcame her fear of her father and the hold he had on her by playing the Schumann-Liszt Widmung for the first time in public since she learned it when she was 10 years old. She never played it in public because the song held a lot of meaning to her father. This performance was profound because Ruth said it meant “dedicating herself to her public and her music”  

Publicity photo of Ruth Slenczynska

Photographer: Steve Crouch, ca. 1953 – Ruth Slenczynska Collection, SIUE

Books (1957 and 1961) 

In 1957 Doubleday published Slenczynska’s first book, Forbidden Childhood. Forbidden Childhood was a collection of memoirs, and it addressed what life as a child prodigy was like. Her second book concerned piano technique and was titled Music at Your Fingertips: Aspects of Pianoforte Technique and was published in 1961.

“Forbidden Childhood: The Frank Account of a Girl’s Struggle to Free Herself from the Strangle Hold of Her Tyrannical Father.” Goodreads, Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/book/show/21524372-forbidden-childhood. Accessed 26 Feb. 2024.

Music At Your Fingertips: Advice For The Artist And Amateur On Playing The Piano (Music Series) Paperback, www.amazon.com/Music-At-Your-Fingertips-Paperback/dp/0306800349. Accessed 27 Feb. 2024.

Ruth’s Recordings

When Ruth returned to music, there were 20 main recordings of Ruth’s piano performances created during this period. Below is a chart of these recordings with the date, title and type identified. 

This recording list was originally compiled by Dr. Allan B. Ho and revised by Therese Z. Dickman (SIUE, 6/14/01)

Ruth Slenczynska talks and plays two Rachmaninoff Preludes (1963)

Ruth’s Career and Globalization

Ruth Slenczynska represents globalization in two main ways: As a culmination of the world’s piano knowledge and through the music she has shared across the world. Since an early age Slenczynska has been taught and influenced by many renowned musicians like Artur Schnabel, Egon Petri, Alfred Cortot, Joseph Hofmann, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and George Enescu. Then she has played in America for several U.S. presidents like Harry S. Truman, Ronald Reagan, and John F. Kennedy. Her reach even extends later to Japan where she was able to play for Empress Michiko. She took what she learned in Europe from musicians from Germany, Russia, Poland, Austria, and Romania, and used that experience to share music in two other continents. This is a perfect example of music globalization, taking her music and gift and sharing it with the rest of the world. 

Ruth’s Musical Reputation during this Period

During this period Slenczynska’s reputation initially diminsished, but soon returned to its former glory. The initial reception to her return was critical, often comparing her to when she was child. She was called a burned-out candle, which made her initial comeback hard and discouraging. As she continued, however, she gained the courage to continue and regained her reputation as an amazing musician. She reached a level where she was playing for presidents which few can say they have done. Slenczynska went through something all child prodigies go through later in their career, comparisons to their accomplishments during their youth. Nevertheless, she overcame these hurdles and had a fulfilling career. 

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