The Story Behind “Life: An Impromptu”
When he was a teenager, Robert “Dick” Smith (b. 1915) worked four part-time jobs. His favorite was ushering at Constitution Hall in Washington, DC, as this allowed him to listen to concerts performed by the greatest musicians of the time. In 1931, famed Russian composer and pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff performed a solo recital that enraptured the audience: they demanded multiple encores. The third one – Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in C Sharp Minor - cast a spell on Mr. Smith.
Although he had no musical training (and no regular access to a piano), this performance inspired the desire of Mr. Smith to write his own great composition. From that point, including during twenty years of service as a U.S. Air Force pilot, musical ideas and themes would come to him in his mind, and every chance he got to play on a piano, he would patiently play a note at a time until he was able to recreate the sounds that he had imagined. Life experiences became musical melodies and were woven into the fabric of the composition.
Decades later, he met his granddaughter’s piano instructor, Leia Singer, and described his project. Working with Mr. Smith, she put the piece in sheet music form according to what he had played – and Life: An Impromptu was titled and copyrighted. But it had never been played for an audience, and professional pianists were reluctant to take on this “amateur” work.
A native of Baltimore, pianist Elizabeth Borowsky had performed as a soloist in major concert halls in over 35 countries. However when at home in Baltimore, she would often share her performances with residents of area retirement communities. It was after one of her performances at Oak Crest Village that Mr. Smith introduced himself and explained his desire to have his work performed.
“It is very unique that one person would be so inspired by one moment in time—in Mr. Smith’s case, the Rachmaninoff third encore—and then pursue that passion relentlessly,” said Borowsky. “When he presented me with his music and asked if I help him make his dream a reality, I couldn’t say no. First, I learned the music as he had written it. I listened to a tape recording of Mr. Smith playing the piece and paid close attention to the musical ideas he expressed. I thought about what he was trying to say through the music. And then, with his permission, I began the process of arranging the composition to make it a concert piece – adjusting voicing, strengthening the harmonic structure, creating smoother transitions between sections, and embellishing it with virtuosic elements. I was conscious of making sure that it still would be recognizable as his composition – his musical ideas, his life experiences, and his take on Rachmaninoff – while adding my own touch, which in turn is influenced by my favorite composer, Frederic Chopin.”
On August 29, 2010, Oak Crest Village arranged a concert to celebrate the world-premier of the now-complete work. Ms. Borowsky played the piece that spurred Mr. Smith’s journey, Prelude in C Sharp Minor, followed by Life: An Impromptu. For Mr. Smith, age 95, it was a day when his “dream came true.” Following the performance, Mr. Smith was presented a personal letter of congratulations from Marin Alsop, internationally-acclaimed Music Director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Alsop wrote:
“Please accept my sincere congratulations on the completion of your original composition, Life: An Impromptu…I understand that attending a performance of famed Russian composer and pianist Rachmaninoff at Constitution Hall in Washington, DC in 1931 launched your life-long appreciation of classical music. It is my hope that the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s performances spark that same enthusiasm and passion for music for our audience. Thank you for sharing your love of music in such a meaningful way.”
“It’s amazing to think that the fruition of this great labor of love finally was shared with the public some 80 years after his first experience,” says Borowsky. “It is an honor to be part of this story.”
