Biography
Ruth Laredo, recognized as a classical pianist, gained prominence through her interpretations of Rachmaninoff's compositions. Her performances infuse these pieces with sensuality and vitality. Works by Rachmaninoff and the Russian composer Scriabin come to life under her touch. She appears in concerts and recitals across festivals as well as at colleges and universities, and has collaborated with numerous symphonies and orchestras. Born in Detroit, she often returns to her hometown for performances. Each year, she takes the stage at Kerrytown Concert House in Ann Arbor. From a young age, Laredo showed interest in classical composers and performers, with Rachmaninoff and Scriabin exerting the strongest influence. Her breakthrough on the international stage came in 1970 upon the release of her Scriabin interpretations by the Connoisseur record label. This album featured all ten of his sonatas. The recordings highlight the melodic and harmonic elements characteristic of Scriabin's music. During the seventies, she issued a further recording devoted to Rachmaninoff's solo works. Her motivation for documenting these composers lay in fostering greater appreciation for their distinctive styles, harmonies, and tonal qualities. She faithfully reproduces these elements particularly in the seventh sonata, known as the "White Mass," and the ninth sonata. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Laredo toured extensively across the globe. Listeners remain captivated by her technique of employing all five fingers in certain passages. Her programs have included compositions by Tchaikovsky, Johannes Brahams, Chopin, and Debussy. In 1984, her Scriabin recordings appeared once more, now on the Nonesuch label as a two-CD collection offering improved sonic clarity compared to the original LP edition. She received a commission in 1985 to prepare editions of composers' works, resulting in the album The Preludes. Additional releases encompass My Second Recital and Reflections From the Keyboard. Laredo's passion for classical music manifests in her expansive performance approach. Whether tackling her preferred Rachmaninoff or a standard such as Tchaikovsky, she invests complete emotional commitment. Audiences in her home state of Michigan greet her warmly when she appears at festivals, concerts, colleges, and universities. Beyond her renowned technical skill in executing pieces demanding more than five fingers per hand, her renown also stems from the ability to animate the music itself. Through interacting harmonies and tones, her interpretations draw focus to the composition rather than the performer. These qualities have established her as one of the twentieth century's most celebrated and admired pianists.
Albums
