Piano savant Frank Glazer (b. 1915 – d. 2015) led a life of discipline and discovery, trapped in the gilded cage of passion. Chasing a horizon only he could see – Frank’s kind heart, exuberant spirit, and talent left an indelible mark on this world. 

A master of his craft and a loving soul, Frank championed selflessness and meditation on a good, fruitful life. 

Born February 19th, 1915, in rural Wisconsin – the Glazer clan soon relocated to the lakeside hub of Milwaukee.

His family bursting at the seams, their Wisconsin upbringing remained buoyant – enjoying a middle-class childhood complete with familial love, patronage, and access to education and the arts. Music rang through the household thanks to parents Clara and Benjamin, Lithuanian immigrants who fought to give their children the world. Of humble means, the Glazers were still able to put a piano in their home, and the children were drawn to its beautiful musings. So a young Frank was introduced to the piano by his late sister, Blanche. 

Musical seeds sprouted, and soon a twelve-year-old Glazer debuted on the local vaudeville stage. Glazer dove headfirst into the Milwaukee music scene, absorbing as much knowledge as possible. 

A gifted young man, Glazer attended public school and graduated from North Division High School in the early 1930’s, not missing a beat on his professional path. 

After graduating, he traveled to Berlin thanks to a wealthy benefactor. In Germany, Glazer studied under Artur Schnabel and Arnold Schoenberg, eminent figures in the Austro-German musical ferment of the early 1900’s. 

Artur Schnabel (b. 1882 – d. 1951) was an Austrian-born classical pianist, known for his musical dogma, preferring a human touch to the erotic technicality that dominated much of the Western institution. Known as ‘the man who invented Beethoven,’ Schnabel produced the first complete recording of Beethoven’s piano sonatas between 1932 and 1935, adding to his mystique. 

A born rebel, Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg (b. 1874 – d. 1951) was a revolutionary composer whose inherent musical compass drifted from traditional tonality. Although Schoenberg’s voice careened down an unapproachable path, his mentors were none other than Richard Strauss and Gustav Mahler.

It was this juggernaut pedigree that Frank Glazer found himself ushered into as a young man. He made the most of this formative time, even following Schnabel to Italy… but eventually returned home to the U.S. 

The budding master made his New York debut in 1936, and featured with the Boston Symphony in 1939, playing under Koussevitzky – the acclaimed Russian conductor and double-bassist. 

After a WW2 military stint in Europe, Frank returned to America once more – this time conducting research on the intricacies of human anatomy. Concerned with the ergonomics of piano playing, longevity and maintaining physical youth, Glazer began to understand his body inside and out – a partnership between radio and signal, if you will.  

This post-war research not only strengthened Glazer’s playing, but altered his approach to the instrument. The technical ecstasy of his youth became less appealing than a relaxed style rooted in comfort.

‘Hug em, don’t hit em,” Frank would say.  

He began to deviate from the gauntlets of Brahms, Liszt and Beethoven – favoring the dreamy ecstasy of Chopin, Satie, and the American avant garde. In fact, Glazer has been called the greatest interpreter of Eric Satie’s music –  capturing the acclaimed Frenchman’s works unlike any other. 

A man of many disciplines, Fank was fiercely devoted to his wife of 54 years, Ruth Gevalt Glazer (b. 1910 – d. 2006), a brilliant woman and musician. A gifted vocalist who sang with the Boston and Dallas Symphonies, Ruth debuted at Boston’s Jordan Hall in the mid 1940’s, accompanied by a young pianist named Frank Glazer. 

Entwined by music and love, they married in 1952. 

In the middle of the decade, Frank Glazer starred in his own Milwaukee regional television program: Playhouse 15 – 

Tap into the Bates College archive to hear a 9/22/55 airing of Frank’s TV show… 

Listen to the shrill, Lorax voice of the laundry tycoon promoting his business… Unphased, the announcer continues: “… Featuring firsthand, one of the world’s foremost pianists – Frank Glazer!”

Saving grace, a young Glazer enters, showing off Chopin, Beethoven, and Liszt. 

A 1/17/57 episode kicks off with a cigarette jingle: … ‘Filters smoke like a filter should… makes kids wild yet tastes so good!” 

Savor the touching moment when Frank invites Ruth to perform on set with him – husband and wife airing on TV together, performing ‘four-hand piano music,’ a cascade of notes and love. 

Glazer joined the faculty at the prestigious Eastman School of Music in 1965, and in 1977, accepted a position at Bates College after ‘retiring’ to his wife’s family farm in Porter, Maine – he was awarded the title of ‘artist in residence’ three years later. 

In art and humanity, Frank embodied ‘the continuity of musical life’ – focus, discipline, and passion. 

Always looking to grow, the virtuoso performed countless solo concerts, chamber exhibitions, and orchestras across the world. Glazer also composed, founded the New England Piano Quartette, and laid the framework for the Saco River Music Festival with his wife. He was a beloved member of the Steinway & Sons company, growing with the brand throughout the 20th century. 

Best known for his longevity, unwavering mentorship, and a beautiful spirit, Frank Glazer’s melody still sounds across his beloved Maine and the world – calling us to live bold, generous lives. 

I feel blessed to have seen him perform live at Bates College’s Olin Arts Center. Casting off his age and sitting at the piano, Frank’s rockstar persona and musical brilliance have forever been etched in my heart.