Ronald Bertram Smith (3 January 192227 May 2004) was a British classical

pianist A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...

and teacher.

Birth and education

Smith was born in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, and grew up in Sussex. He was educated at Lewes County Grammar School and the Brighton College of Music. He entered the Royal Academy of Music at the age of 16 with the Sir Michael Costa Scholarship for composition. After leaving the academy he studied privately in Paris with

Marguerite Long Marguerite Marie-Charlotte Long (13 November 1874 – 13 February 1966) was a French pianist, pedagogue, lecturer, and an ambassador of French music. Life Early life: 1874–1900 Marguerite Long was born to Pierre Long and Anne Marie Antoin ...

, while also taking an external BMus degree from Durham University. He was influenced by the pianist

Edwin Fischer Edwin Fischer (6 October 1886 – 24 January 1960) was a Swiss classical pianist and conductor. He is regarded as one of the great interpreters of J.S. Bach and Mozart in the twentieth century. Biography Fischer was born in Basel and studied ...

, whom he impressed as a contestant in the 1949 Geneva international piano competition. When Fischer visited London he selected Smith and

Denis Matthews Denis Matthews (27 February 191925 December 1988) was an English pianist and musicologist whose performing career flourished after the war, during the 1950s and into the 1960s. He later turned increasingly to broadcasting, writing and teaching. ...

to play the second and third piano parts in his recording of Bach's triple keyboard concerto. Smith said he learnt more in four days working with Fischer than he had in his years of previous study.

Professional career

As a performer, Smith championed piano works from the

romantic period Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate ...

. In the 1940s he was first asked to record music by the then neglected Charles-Valentin Alkan, his Concerto for Solo Piano. He was sent the score by

Humphrey Searle Humphrey Searle (26 August 1915 – 12 May 1982) was an English composer and writer on music. His music combines aspects of late Romanticism and modernist serialism, particularly reminiscent of his primary influences, Franz Liszt, Arnold Schoen ...

: when he first saw it he thought it "seemed unplayable". He later recorded many of Alkan's works, and also wrote a biography. His efforts played a major role in rekindling interest in Alkan, including remaining president of the Alkan Society from 1977 when it was formed until his death. His recorded legacy encompasses pioneering performances of Alkan, including the complete studies in all the minor keys Op. 39, as well as music by Chopin, Schubert, Beethoven, Balakirev and Liszt. He taught the piano for many years, first at Harrow School from 1943, and then at

The King's School, Canterbury The King's School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school for 13 to 18 year old pupils) in Canterbury, Kent, England. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and the Eton Group. It is Britain's ...

from the 1950s to 1990. He then took auditions at the Kent School of Music (Canterbury) to select private students to whom he could donate his spare time.

Private life

Smith married the cellist Anne Norman in 1969, and they had one daughter, Beka Smith. They established a family home at

Saltwood Saltwood is a village and civil parish in the Folkestone and Hythe District of Kent, England. Within the parish are the small hamlets of Pedlinge and Sandling. Geography Saltwood is located immediately to the north of Hythe on the high land lo ...

in Kent, in a large house which afforded space for a music studio. Smith died in Hythe, Kent, aged 82, on 27 May 2004.

References

External links

Links to obituaries in UK newspapers
* * British classical pianists Male classical pianists 1922 births 2004 deaths Alumni of the Royal Academy of Music Alumni of Durham University Long-Thibaud-Crespin Competition prize-winners 20th-century classical pianists 20th-century British musicians People educated at Priory School, Lewes 20th-century British male musicians People from Hythe, Kent {{UK-classical-pianist-stub