Decca re-signs 97-year-old pianist

Decca Classics has re-signed the pianist Ruth Slenczynska who previously recorded for the label in the 1950s and 60s. Slenczynska returns to Decca nearly 60 years later with a new album My Life in Music set to be released in March.

Born in 1925 in Sacramento, California, to Polish immigrants, Slenczynska gave her concert debut at the age of four and made her European debut in Berlin at the age of six. Her new album celebrates her life and career over nine decades.

Slenczynska said: ‘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’

Celebrating her 97th birthday last week, Slenczynska is the last living pupil of Russian composer-pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff and still wears a Fabergé egg necklace the musician gifted to her.

Slenczynska performed at last year’s Chopin International and Friends Festival at New York’s Polish Embassy. Her album will also explore the music of Chopin and also features pieces by Debussy, Grieg and Bach.

Dominic Fyfe, Decca Classics label director, said: ‘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.’