Piano Rags
Track Listings
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1. Grand Sonata in Rag: Scott Joplin's Victory
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2. Grand Sonata in Rag: Ragtime Turtledove
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3. Grand Sonata in Rag: Behemoth Two-Step
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4. Three Roveltry Rags: Sleight of Hand Rag
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5. Three Roveltry Rags: Burnt Fingers
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6. Three Roveltry Rags: Brass Knuckles - William Bolcom, Nicola Melville
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7. Sweet Sixteenths
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8. Three Original Rags: On the Lamb
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9. Three Original Rags: The Queen of Sheba
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10. Three Original Rags: Onion Skin
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11. Dream Rags: Sleepwalker's Shuffle
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12. Dream Rags: The Nightmare Fantasy Rag (A Night on Rag Mountain)
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13. Dream Rags: Morning Reveries
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Piano Rags, Music, William Albright, William & Albright, William Bolcom, Nicola Melville, William Bolcom, Chamber Music & Recitals, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Keyboard, Music for Keyboard, Rag for Keyboard
Average customer rating:
- My favourite jazz music
- The Flair Just Isn't There
- Not as good as I had hoped.
- Joplin & Joshua, A Historic Partnership
- Still my favorite
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Scott Joplin: Piano Rags
Joshua Rifkin
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
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Similar Items:
- Complete Piano Music of Scott Joplin
- The Sting: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
- The Greatest Ragtime of the Century
- Joplin - Complete Rags for Piano (Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics) Vol. 2020
- Rags & Tangos [Australia]
ASIN: B000005IYF
Release Date: 1990-10-25 |
Tracks:
- Maple Leaf Rag
- The Entertainer -- A Ragtime Two-Step
- The Ragtime Dance
- Gladiolus Rag
- Fig Leaf Rag
- Scott Joplin's New Rag
- Euphonic Sounds -- A Syncopated Novelty
- Elite Syncopations
- Bethena -- A Concert Waltz
- Paragon Rag
- Solace -- A Mexican Serenade
- Pine Apple Rag
- Weeping Willow -- A Ragtime Two-Step
- The Cascades -- A Rag
- Country Club -- Ragtime Two-step
- Stoptime Rag
- Magnetic Rag -- Syncopations Classiques
Customer Reviews:
My favourite jazz music.......2007-07-15
I have had Joshua Rifkin's Scott Joplin Piano Rags for more than 20 years and listened to them very often. Later when I bought SCott Joplin's pianola version I liked it much less. Joplin's music is superb and Rifkin's piano version brings its beauty up where it should be. The reason I bought it on the CD is to put it on my ipod! A marvellous record.
The Flair Just Isn't There.......2007-06-16
Rifkin performs these pieces to perfection- too perfect for my taste. Music (and rags in particular) is not about technical perfection, but that intangible something that resonates within us and moves us. The life, enthusiasm, emotion, soul - whatever you want to call it- just isn't there on this CD. To hear Joplin's great artistry sterilized like this is a real disappointment.
Not as good as I had hoped........2007-03-08
I regard music the same way most people regard art; I don't know that much about it, but I know what I like. And I like Joplin's piano rags when played with a fast upbeat tempo. Based on the reviews I read here I was led to believe that this album is the standard by which all other Joplin rags are measured, and therefore ideal for a casual fan's first album.
Rifkin's version of the 'Maple Leaf Rag' was solidly OK, but I have heard versions I liked much better. His rendition of 'The Entertainer' started off way too slowly and softly, and seemed to only get slower and softer as the piece progressed. It was like watching a drag race in slow motion; you keep expecting the cars to go faster, but they never do. This is particularly frustrating because 'The Entertainer' was 50% of the reason I bought the album.
I suspect that expert musicians who love this album will want to brand me as some culturally ignorant redneck for giving it only 3-stars, but I have to call it as I hear it.
Joplin & Joshua, A Historic Partnership.......2006-08-05
As a kid back in the 70's, I started my classical piano training. Bach, Chopin, Beethoven, etc. One day by chance, I caught the sound of music coming from my cousin's room that I'd never heard. To me it was remarkable. I ran to the phonograph to see what was playing. It was Mr. Rifkins Scott Joplin Piano Rags, Volume 1. Being classically trained, I was immediately drawn to the music's intricate,flowing,syncopated rhythms. I had to play this stuff. My first rag purchased was Maple Leaf. That was in 1977. Since then I've played them all. I'm in my 40's now and have yet to master the sound produced by Mr. Rifkin. I have basically given up. I can't play as well and thank God he can.
I've enjoyed reading the reviews here and noticed some people actually criticize Mr. Rifkin's playing. What a joke. I'd like to see these so called music afficionados play one measure of Euphonic Sounds.
Be that as it may, this recording will stand the test of time.
It is absolutely the most important interpretation of Joplin's music in our lifetimes.
Anybody that says otherwise is trying to sell something.
Still my favorite.......2006-05-02
Although these are remastered from older recordings and neither the playing nor the sound quality are absolutely perfect, this album is still my favorite recording of Joplin's music. The pared-down piano arrangements are interesting (band arrangements are nice, too, but serve a different purpose) and Rifkin treated the music respecfully--the playing is neither too fast nor exaggeratedly bright or "ragged". My biggest complaint is that it is too short and does not include all of the tracks originally available on the LP's (which I also have and which are worth getting if you can find them).
Average customer rating:
- The Complete Piano Music of Scott Joplin
- Another Performer Rewrites Joplin's Masterpieces
- complete piano music of Scott Joplin on 4 CD's
- Ragtime Marvel
- Complete, but poor quality
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Complete Piano Music of Scott Joplin
Manufacturer: Compendia
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Similar Items:
- Scott Joplin: Piano Rags
- The Greatest Ragtime of the Century
- The Sting: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
- Rags to Riches: The Essential Hits of Scott Joplin
- Joplin - Complete Rags for Piano (Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics) Vol. 2020
ASIN: B000003QWN
Release Date: 1997-01-28 |
Tracks:
- The Crush Collision March
- Combination March
- Harmony Club Waltz
- Original Rags
- Maple Leaf Rag
- Swipesy Cakewalk
- Reacherine Rag
- Sunflower Slow Drag
- The Augustan Club Waltz
- The Easy Winners
- Cleopha
- A Breeze From Alabama
- Elite Syncopations
Tracks:
- The Entertainer
- The Strenouous Life
- March Majestic
- Something Doing
- Weaping Willow
- Patr Leaf Rag
- The Favorite
- The Sycamore
- The Cascades
- The Chysanthemum
- Bethena
- Bink's Waltz
- The Rosebud March
Tracks:
- Leola
- Eugenia
- Antoinette
- The Ragtime Dance
- Searchlight Rag
- Gladiolus Rag
- Lily Queen
- Rose Leaf Rag
- Heliotrope Bouquet
- The Nonpareil
- Fig Leaf Rag
- Sugarcane
- Pineapple Rag
Tracks:
- Wall Street Rag (1909)
- Solace (1909)
- Pleasant Moments (1909)
- Country Club (1909)
- Euphonic Moments (1909)
- Paragon Rag (1909)
- Stop-Time Rag (1910)
- Felicity Rag (1911)
- Scott Joplin's New Rag (1912)
- Kismet Rag (1913)
- Magnetic Rag (1914)
- Reflection Rag (1917)
- Silver Swan Rag (1917)
Customer Reviews:
The Complete Piano Music of Scott Joplin.......2007-06-08
John Arpin does a great job with these pieces. The songs carry a consistent sound and are played very close to as-written, which comes and goes with old ragtime pieces. The stamping on Stop-Time Rag doesn't have a consistent sound to it, can be a little distracting. Everything else is great, overall I think that it's a great buy, I'm very happy with it.
Another Performer Rewrites Joplin's Masterpieces.......2007-05-31
Once again, another performer feels the need to rewrite the music of the King of Ragtime. Scott Joplin spins in his grave each and every time this recording is played.
Again, to those who believe that concert music is meant to be rewritten by each and every performer I ask, is the same treatment also acceptable for Chopin's and Rachmaninoff's music? Would "Moonlight Sonata" sound better if played at twice the tempo and with a reprise of the first Adagio movement thrown in at the end? Obviously, the answer to these questions is a resounding NO!, so why does one of America's greatest composers get such disrespect?
Interpretation is an integral part of every performance. Adding one's own notes, phrases and chords where none should be is not. Randomly changing the structure of the piece is not. Playing a piece at twice the indicated tempo is not.
One the plus side, the depth of this collection is outstanding. Joplin's lesser known pieces like "Harmony Club Waltz" really shine. The recording is decent in quality, although a bit bassy in places.
While its been stated before, I feel its worth repeating: Buy Joshua Rifkin's performances of Joplin in order to hear how the Master intended his pieces to sound.
complete piano music of Scott Joplin on 4 CD's.......2007-02-14
Although all of the music is terrific it is rather a lot of a similar sound. I think I would have preferred 2 CD's of selected piano works of Scott Joplin. But I did get the music at a good price.
Ragtime Marvel.......2005-10-09
This collection of Scott Joplin's piano music is outstanding. As a lover of ragtime which was a prelude to jazz, I am thoroughly enjoying this collection. If you are not a lover of jazz, you may be a lover of ragtime. Jazz can sometimes be grating on the nerves, whereas ragtime lifts the spirit.
Complete, but poor quality.......2005-09-25
I have been learning some ragtime and wanted to hear more to find other selections to learn. Listened to Maple Leaf Rag, my favorite, first and was disappointed. Listened to others and was more disappointed. Maple flies - much faster than anyone would play it, you can't make out some of the phrases. And talk about ad libs - Tempo, dynamics, embelishments, nuances - I really think he plays some wrong notes too because he's going so fast. It's really a poor recording - and that's just on Maple Leaf. Others with "intros" start quick and then there's a grand pause, not a rest, but nearly a five second break. It's hard to argue how Joplin would have played it, but this is hardly anything I want to try to imitate. The only qualitating factor is the number of songs for the price. A lot of variety of a poor interpretation is only worth 3 stars. if that. Look for Rifkin or a copy that is as written to listen to first, then go for the ad libs and "artistic interpretations"
Average customer rating:
- What the heck???
- More Than Excellent
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Rags to Riches: The Essential Hits of Scott Joplin
Manufacturer: Compendia
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Similar Items:
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- Joplin - Complete Rags for Piano (Schirmer's Library of Musical Classics) Vol. 2020
ASIN: B0009J4OAO
Release Date: 2005-06-21 |
Tracks:
- Original Rags
- Maple Leaf Rag
- Easy Winners
- Elite Syncopations
- The Entertainer
- The Cascades
- Bethena
- Leola
- Gladiolas
- Searchlight
- Fig Leaf Rag
- Sugar Cane
- Euphonic Sounds
- Paragon Rag
- Solace
- Wall Street Rag
- Treemonisha
- Magnetic Rag
Album Description
Celebrate the diversity of American music with RAGS TO RICHES: THE ESSENTIAL SCOTT JOPLIN, a comprehensive collection of 18 pieces by one of ragtime's greatest composers. From his signature hit "Maple Leaf Rag" to classics such as "The Entertainer" and "Wall Street Rag", RAGS TO RICHES: THE ESSENTIAL SCOTT JOPLIN contains some of the most revered tunes in musical history and will be treasured by music fans for years to come.
Customer Reviews:
What the heck???.......2007-03-20
Music is great, as is the playing. However, the last song is not Magnetic Rag but rather the same version of Maple Leaf Rag heard earlier on the album.
What is with that?
More Than Excellent.......2006-08-16
I had previously purchased a Scott Joplin CD and was disappointed by the dull quality and dispirited playing by the artist. This CD more than makes up for it. The music was beautifully performed and the recording was very clear. Every piece was perfect!
Average customer rating:
- Available at retailers for about $18
- A classic compilation
- A dis-service to Joplin
- Unique
- Great set
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Scott Joplin: His Complete Works
Manufacturer: Bescol
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ASIN: B000001RR2
Release Date: 1994-07-19 |
Tracks:
- Please Say You Will - Richard Zimmerman
- A Picture Of Her Face - Richard Zimmerman
- The Great Crush Collision March - Richard Zimmerman
- Harmony Club Waltz - Richard Zimmerman
- Combination March - Richard Zimmerman
- Original Rags - Richard Zimmerman
- Maple Leaf Rag - Richard Zimmerman
- Swipesy - Cake Walk - Richard Zimmerman
- Sunflower Slow Drag - Richard Zimmerman
- Peacherine Rag - Richard Zimmerman
- Augustan Club Waltz - Richard Zimmerman
- The Easy Winners - Richard Zimmerman
- Cleopha - Richard Zimmerman
- The Strenuous Life - Richard Zimmerman
- I Am Thinking Of My Pickanniny Days - Richard Zimmerman
- The Ragtime Dance - Richard Zimmerman
- A Breeze From Alabama - Richard Zimmerman
- Elite Syncopations - Richard Zimmerman
Tracks:
- March Majestic - S. Joplin
- The Entertainer - S. Joplin
- Something Doing - S. Joplin
- Weeping Willow - S. Joplin
- Little Black Baby - S. Joplin
- Palm Leaf Rag - S. Joplin
- The Favorite - S. Joplin
- The Sycamore - S. Joplin
- The Cascades - S. Joplin
- The Chrysanthemum - S. Joplin
- Rosebud March - S. Joplin
- Bethena - S. Joplin
- Leola - S. Joplin
- Sarah Dear - S. Joplin
- Binks Waltz - S. Joplin
- Eugenia - S. Joplin
- Antoinette - S. Joplin
- Snoring Sampson - S. Joplin
Tracks:
- Gladiolus Rag - S. Joplin
- Searchlight Rag - S. Joplin
- The Nonpareil (None to Equal) - S. Joplin
- When Your Hair Is Like The Snow - S. Joplin
- Rose Leaf Rag - S. Joplin
- Heliotrope Bouquet - S. Joplin
- School Of Ragtime - S. Joplin
- Fig Leaf Rag - S. Joplin
- Sugar Cane - S. Joplin
- Pine Apple Rag - S. Joplin
- Wall Street Rag - S. Joplin
- Solace - S. Joplin
- Pleasant Moments - S. Joplin
- Country Club - S. Joplin
- Paragon Rag - S. Joplin
- Euphonic Sounds - S. Joplin
- Stoptime Rag - S. Joplin
- Felicity Rag - S. Joplin
Tracks:
- Highlights From Treemonisha - Richard Zimmerman
- A Real Slow Drag - Richard Zimmerman
- Prelude To Act 3 - Richard Zimmerman
- Frolic Of The Bears - Richard Zimmerman
- Lovin' Babe - Richard Zimmerman
- Scott Joplin's New Rag - Richard Zimmerman
- Kismet Rag - Richard Zimmerman
- Magnetic Rag - Richard Zimmerman
- Reflection Rag - Richard Zimmerman
- Silver Swan Rag - Richard Zimmerman
- Lily Queen - Richard Zimmerman
- Sensation - Richard Zimmerman
Customer Reviews:
Available at retailers for about $18.......2006-12-21
Excellent collection - but there are re-sellers listed here that are selling this for as much $50 or $60. Yikes, most major retailers are selling this complete set for $18 - so beware.
A classic compilation.......2006-10-07
This collection is one of my most treasured possessions. (My father gave me the original 5-album set in the 70's when it was originally released on vinyl.)
This is the definitive collection of Scott Joplin's work. Richard Zimmerman provides wonderful performances that accurately reflect Joplin's intentions. (As evidence beyond my personal opinion, I submit the recent releases of digital recordings made from Joplin's piano rolls.)
A few points to consider regarding negative comments you may encounter in other reviews:
* This is a digital recording from an analog master. Lack of quality in the recording does not imply a lackluster performance.
* This is a complete collection. Some similarity is due to Joplin re-exploring melodic themes. But some is due to the fact that these are "rags". One might as well complain that all 50's doo-wop (or all 70's disco) sounds the same.
* Many pieces of the period exhibit formal musical structures, such as the marches of John Phillips Sousa. (Both Sousa and Joplin performed at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis.) Actually, Joplin is responsible for extending the formal boundaries of ragtime to concert waltzes (Bethena) and opera (A Guest of Honor, Treemonisha)
* This is probably one of the few collections which will include selections from "Treemonisha". It is my understanding that after the initial release, one of Joplin's descendants made a copyright claim that was upheld in court. (I presume the issue was that Joplin had to finance "Treemonisha" himself, and therefore the customary performance clearances did not cover those selections.)
For ragtime students and enthusiasts, this is a "must-have" collection at a very affordable price.
A dis-service to Joplin.......2006-02-01
Sadly, the only virtue this set possesses is completeness.
The pianist does not play Joplin's pieces "as written", the piano is of poor quality, and not properly in tune.
This is emphatically NOT the set to buy. A far better set, beautifully annotated and well played on a good concert grand piano, is the complete works played by Guido Nielsen on the Basta Label.
This set is a dis-service to Joplin and his music. He deserves better, and gets it elsewhere.
Unique .......2004-10-19
I have several cd sets of Joplin's music: Rifkin, Arpo, Nielsen, and Zimmerman. All have their excellent qualities. What sets Zimmerman's set apart is the inclusion of excerpts from Joplin's opera, Treemonisha---especially "A Real Slow Drag." Why the other sets do not include excerpts from Treemonisha, I don't know---because they are some of his most beautiful and joyful pieces of music. Of course, you can hear the orchestrated version of Treemonisha in the Houston Grand Opera recording, and it is spectacular. But Zimmerman's piano version, especially of "A Real Slow Drag," is not to be missed.
Great set.......2001-10-16
I guess this will be a rather one sided review. I have been a fan of Scott Joplin since I first learned to play a piano.
I was shocked to see that one reviewer thought it all sounded the same. How silly. All of Frank Sinatra's music sounds like Frank Sinatra. All of Led Zeppelin sounds like Led Zeppelin. So, if the songs were drastically different, I would question if the same author composed them. As it is, though, each song on this set is fantastic!!
I don't know that I have heard of Richard Zimmerman, and I was a little leary as to what I would be getting, I certainly was impressed. Without a doubt the best renditions of "Weeping Willow" and "Bethena" I have heard, and at least a dozen songs I didn't know Joplin wrote.
Without a doubt, this album is fantastic. A very good price, as well.
Average customer rating:
- Scott Joplin Piano Rags
- Pure joy from Scott Joplin, a great and innovative artist.
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Joplin: Piano Rags
Scott Joplin
Manufacturer: Sony
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Binding: Audio CD
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Similar Items:
- Rags to Riches: The Essential Hits of Scott Joplin
- Complete Piano Music of Scott Joplin
- Scott Joplin: Piano Rags
- The Greatest Ragtime of the Century
- Scott Joplin: His Complete Works
ASIN: B00005YKIM
Release Date: 2002-01-29 |
Tracks:
- Maple Leaf Rag
- Original Rags
- 'Swipesy' Cakewalk
- Sunflower Slow Drag (A Ragtime Two-Step)
- The Easy Winners (A Ragtime Two-Step)
- The Entertainer (A Ragtime Two-Step)
- The Cascades (A Rag)
- The Chrysanthemum (An Afro-American Intermezzo)
- Bethena (A Concert Waltz)
- Binks' Waltz
- Searchlight Rag (A Syncopated March And Two-Step)
- Gladiolus Rag
- Pine Apple Rag
- Pleasant Moments (A Ragtime Waltz)
- Solace (A Mexican Serenade)
Customer Reviews:
Scott Joplin Piano Rags.......2007-01-18
I recently performed in the play "Intimate Apparel" by Lynn Nottage. The time period reflected ragtime music. Amazon had exactly the music I needed to enhance my role for that time period. I was very pleased with the speedy delivery of the music. The quality of sound was quite satisfactory.
Pure joy from Scott Joplin, a great and innovative artist........2004-05-03
When Scott Joplin died in 1917 of advanced syphillis, he was penniless, frustrated artistically, and had seen the last days of the ragtime craze pass by. Who would have imagined that today, nearly 90 years after his death, his music would be taken much more seriously than it was in his own time, and would continue to delight and astonish performers and audiences around the world? This is Joplin's legacy, and it exceeds that of hundreds of other composers whose music has come and gone in the years since his death.
Not bad for a man who aspired to critical respectability above popular adulation, and who wrote three operas (including "Treemonisha") in the hope of attaining respect among "serious" musicians. Joplin's unbelievably resourceful melodic gift, his innovative rhythmic instinct, his utterly original harmonic palette, and his superb talents as an arranger have made his music immortal, and even such a renowned musician as Theodore Leschetizky (who trained more great pianists than any other teacher of his time) played and admired his music. Maybe he was more respectable than he knew.
Roy Eaton's renditions of fifteen of Joplin's most famous rags are wonderfully vibrant and insightful. This is a first-rate recording at an unbeatable price. Need I say more?
Average customer rating:
- A delight for the ears and eyes
- old time magic.
- People Music for Real People
- Phenomenal!
- If you want to hear "fiddle" music don't buy this!
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Folks, He Sure Do Pull Some Bow! Vintage Fiddle Music 1927-1935: Blues, Jazz, Stomps, Shuffles & Rags
Big Bill Broonzy , Charlie Pierce , Andrew Baxter , Clifford Hayes , Bubbling-Over Five , Memphis Jug Band , Mississippi Sheiks , Peg Leg Howell , Frank Stokes , Big Joe Williams , and Agusto Abreu
Manufacturer: Old Hat Records / Enterprises
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
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Similar Items:
- Violin, Sing The Blues For Me: African-American Fiddlers 1926-1949
- Music From The Lost Provinces: Old-Time Stringbands From Ashe County, North Carolina & Vicinity 1927-1931
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ASIN: B000058TAS
Release Date: 2001-03-27 |
Tracks:
- Rukus Juice And Chittlin' - Memphis Jug Band
- The Jazz Fiddler - Walter Jacobs And Lonnie Carter
- Moanin' And Groanin' Blues - "Peg Leg" Howell And His Gang
- Dance Hall Shuffle - Clifford Hayes' Louisville Stompers
- My Four Reasons - Banjo Ikey Robinson And His Bull Fiddle Band
- Wild Cow Blues - Joe Williams' Washboard Blues Singers
- Knox County Stomp - Tennessee Chocolate Drops
- Rustlin' Man - State Street Boys
- Sister Maud Mule - Alec Johnson
- G Rag - Georgia Yellow Hammers
- Throw Me In The Alley - Peetie Wheatstraw And His Blue Blowers
- If You Can't Make It Easy, Sweet Mama - Dixieland Jug Blowers
- Bunker Hill Blues - Frank Stokes
- I Got A Gal - James Cole's String Band
- Sweet To Mama - State Street Boys
- Doctor Medicine - South Memphis Jug Band
- Cabo Verdranos Peca Nove - Abrew's Portuguese Instrumental Trio
- Worried Man Blues - Joe Williams' Washboard Blues Singers
- Georgia Crawl - Henry Williams And Eddie Anthony
- Good Old Turnip Greens - Bo Chatman
- Memphis Stomp - The Blue Boys
- Get Up Off That Jazzophone - The Bubbling-Over Five
- Rukus Juice Shuffle - Alabama Rascals
- Lazy Lazy River - Mississippi Sheiks
Amazon.com's Best of 2001
A fantastic collection of old-time music, "Folks, He Sure Do Pull Some Bow!" captures vintage fiddle music at that rare crossroads where the blues, jazz, and something that would one day be called folk were all in their infancy. For fiddle virtuosos performing between 1927 and 1935, quite simply, anything goes. Banjo Ikey Robinson's red hot "My Four Reasons" swings with humor and pizzazz, the State Street Boys' "Rustlin' Man" features the down-and-out blues vocals and fiddling of Big Bill Broonzy , and the Mississippi Sheiks' jazzy, but blues-inspired "Lazy Lazy River" musically straddles both sides of the Mason Dixon Line. For many listeners, the more esoteric tracks will stick out: Bo Chatman (a.k.a. double-entendre blues king Bo Carter) is heard fiddling behind Alec Johnson's goofy vocals on "Sister Maud Mule" (and in the spotlight on his own "Good Old Turnip Greens"); the Georgia Yellow Hammers' "G Rag" is the product of a then-rare integrated recording session; and Abrew's Portuguese Instrumental Trio performs "Cabo Verdranos Peca Nove" with incredible fiddling on what must be one of the first attempts at a crossover world-music disc. It's all here--great remastering, in-depth liner notes, and wonderful playing. Each release from Old Hat--Violin, Sing the Blues for Me and Music from the Lost Provinces--feels definitive, and this gem is certainly no different. --Jason Verlinde
Album Description
"Beautifully assembled, meticulously annotated, Folks is yet another striking contribution by Old Hat to the reassessment, if not the rewriting, of blues history. This is wonderfully unexpected music which refuses to conform to any of the accepted conventions of 12-bar blues. It should serve as a reminder of why the world continues to be drawn to this music, described by early observers as something unaccountably wild and strange. Folks restores some of that wildness, strangeness, and incalculable beauty." Peter Guralnick - author Careless Love, Searching For Robert Johnson, Last Train To Memphis
"I love this CD. So much so that I am jealous and wish that I had done it!" Lawrence Cohn - producer American Odeon's Blind Willie McTell box set, Columbia/Legacy's Roots N' Blues Series
Customer Reviews:
A delight for the ears and eyes.......2007-01-04
Old Hat Records always goes the extra mile to present incredibly rare sides from vintage 78s. The sound quality is top-notch, and the generous booklet is packed with equally rare photography, highly-informative notes and thorough documentation.
There are lots of reissues of early recordings, but all the offerings from Old Hat are head and shoulders above the rest.
Sure, the pirates of the world can probably find this material in MP3 format, but despicable thievery aside, they're missing out on the complete package. The music combined with the ample booklet is the true prize. The true value is owning this release, holding it in your hand: listening, reading, viewing the rare photos.
Whether you're a hard-core collector or occasional enthusiast of early recordings of Jazz and Blues, you'll enjoy this truly superlative production.
old time magic........2006-12-26
a wonderful disc of old time fiddle/violin recordings. pianos, guitars, banjos, and vocals also are present on a 24 set of songs that all old time music lovers should possess.
People Music for Real People.......2006-07-27
Inspired by my recent review of Sam Ku West's cd of Hawaiian steel guitar from 1927 and '28, and his version of Memphis Blues contained therein, I decided I need to review Violin, Sing the Blues for Me which contains a killer Memphis Blues by the Mobile Strugglers. Then of course I had to review this, its equally compelling companion disc.
This stuff is history-come-alive. There's a fun tidbit for those folks who still think the blues began with Robert Johnson. Check Wild Cow Blues by Joe Williams' Washboard Singers, recorded in 1935... before RJ's earliest sides. RJ obviously listened to, liked, and studied this side. RJ's iconic vocal phrasings come straight from here, but RJ had the better voice, thus pulling them off more powerfully.
Rukus Juice features some serious fiddling over a hopping groove. Moanin' and Groanin' Blues has the best humming this side of one of the better Grateful Dead Candymans.
You also get Lonnie Johnson. You may largely think of him as one of the best lyricists and guitarists (both 6 and 12-string) the blues have ever known, or as one of the primal jazz guitarists, but had Lonnie gotten tired of the guitar he could have taken Stephane Grappelli's place in the QHCF with little problem. His Memphis Stomp glides and swirls through time in rather astounding fashion. Pre-war Lonnie Johnson was THE MAN. I still don't understand why there isn't a complete boxset of him from 1925-1932. But I digress...
From slow blues drawl, to a track like Peetie Wheatstraw's Throw Me in the Alley, which would have made King Oliver proud. There's a lot of ground covered here, much of it great. Just try to hold still during Doctor Medicine by the South Memphis Jug Band!
The heart and soul of both this and "Violin, Sing..." are the people you probably never heard of. People who may have only recorded a few sides total, and have rarely if ever before been presented on cd. The few tracks by the famous greats can be heard elsewhere, so it's those largely forgotten by time who make this such a gift.
Phenomenal!.......2005-12-05
Well, I completely disagree with the negative review below, and I have a feeling that the gentleman who wrote it, who claims to be a mediocre picker of several instruments, will remain mediocre for his entire life. Fiddle and violin are not the same thing. As the old joke goes, the difference between the two is that you shouldn't spill beer on a violin.
To expect rural and traditional black fiddlers from the Depression to play fiddle like classically trained modern fiddlers like Mark O'Connor or Allison Krauss is like expecting your country Grandma to make Hazelnut-crusted filet of Chilean Seabass with a Pomegranate and Wasabi reduction for Sunday dinner, instead of pot roast and mashed potatoes. It's an absurd expectation. This is the music of real people. Many of these musicians undoubtedly farmed or did other backbreaking labor all week, taking their only joy from the music they'd play on the weekend. Their faithful listeners were in the same boat.
Remember that for many of these recordings, the concept of "jazz" hadn't been invented yet. Bluegrass, for that matter, wouldn't be invented for a couple more decades.
Anyone with a genuine appreciation for American traditional and folk music will love this album. Yes, some of the recording quality is a little bit rough (many of the songs sound like they're playing on an old turntable instead of on a CD), but it's completely listenable, not nearly as difficult to listen to as many other re-released gems from this era. Listen to it with an open mind, and after you've heard the first few tunes, your brain will automatically tune out the static (which is minimal to begin with).
This album is one of the more brilliant re-releases and collections from this era. Get an idea of what real people were listening to and playing in this time period. You'll thank yourself for giving it a try.
If you want to hear "fiddle" music don't buy this!.......2003-04-13
This is a review for normal people. If you are a fan of standard fiddle do not buy this CD. It is a bunch of badly recorded, half hearted, boring and sloppy songs thrown together on an overpriced CD. Save yourself $... or if you like this type of music just go buy some old Little Rascals episodes on DVD. Then you will get the same music you hear on this plus the bonus of the Little Rascals. Now I know why we think of Blues guitar players not fiddle players when this music is discussed. The other reviewers seem to think some of the names on this CD will be familiar to you. Don't believe them, unless names like "Abrew's Portuguese Instrumental Trio" or "Dixieland Jug Blowers" are familiar to you. I am just hoping to prevent normal music lovers from stepping into this pile and losing $... like I did. I play banjo, fiddle, mandolin, dulcimer and guitar all badly, but I could get a gig with these bands and probably improve their sound. If you are the artsy type that digs this kind of stuff and you can't wait to grow a goatee, turn the lights down low, fill the room with smoke (oops, bad for your health), put your sunglasses on and crank this baby up; I hope you don't mind being stuck by yourself all the time because no one else is going to put up with this lousy music. Go find something with Chubby Wise in it if you want to hear some real fiddle playing. Help support some little known, up and coming fiddle players that need to buy food and pay rent with royalty checks by buying their music instead of making these labels, that get this junky music for free or almost free, super rich.
Average customer rating:
- Good clean fun.
- The spirit of American music
- Very Dirty Playing
- Lighthearted, musical fun
|
Americana
George Gershwin , John Novacek , Charlie Chaplin , Scott Joplin , Manuel Ponce , Henri Vieuxtemps , Spiritual Traditional , Stephen Foster , and Leila Josefowicz
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
Foster, Stephen
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Similar Items:
- For the End of Time
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- Leila Josefowicz Plays Beethoven, Ravel, Salonen, Grey, Messiaen
ASIN: B00004YWU9
Release Date: 2000-10-10 |
Tracks:
- Four Rags: Intoxication
- Four Rags: 4th Street Drag
- Four Rags: Cockles
- Four Rags: Full Stride Ahead
- Smile
- Yankee Doodle (Variations Burlesques): Souvenir D'Amerique
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- Short Story
- Three Preludes: 1 Allegro Ben Ritmato E Deciso
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- Ragtime For Violin: The Easy Winners
- Deep River
- Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair
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- Porgy And Bess Suite: Summertime - A Woman Is A Sometime Thing
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- Porgy And Bess Suite: Bess, You Is My Woman Now
- Porgy And Bess Suite: Tempo Di Blues
Amazon.com
Just in time for the November 2000 presidential elections, violinist Leila Josefowicz delivers her platform based entirely on violin virtuosity and Americana. Josefowicz seems to excel on short showpieces, and this 21-track CD is full of them--lively American-themed miniatures that don't stretch over five minutes. Accompanied by pianist John Novacek, Josefowicz is in fine form, fiddling through Gershwin's Three Preludes, Porgy and Bess Suite, and "Short Story." On Charlie Chaplin's "Smile," she gets to show off her glorious tone (obscured on most of these tunes by her energetic bow attack). And, though the "Yankee Doodle" variations by Henri Vieuxtemps may test the mettle of all but the most patriotic listener, there's no denying that Josefowicz can play these pieces with the best of them. It may be lightweight fun, but it's fun nonetheless. --Jason Verlinde
Customer Reviews:
Good clean fun........2002-02-21
I have enjoyed most of Leila Josefowicz's recordings very much, but this is my favorite. The songs are mostly in a style more or less like rag-time, and they are a lot of fun besides being impressive.
The most amazing piece on this disc is the delightful Yankee Doodle Variations by Vieuxtemps. A fun and virtuosic set of, you guessed right, variations on the song Yankee Doodle. Her perfomence on this piece in particular makes it worth the cost of the entire disc.
Ms. Josefowicz's technique is flawless and her tone is gorgeous. The accompaniment equally good, and the recording quality leaves little to be desired.
The spirit of American music.......2001-07-23
Ms. Josefowicz has created an amazing recording. Her style is incredibly spirited and one can tell she is having great fun with the music. These are pieces familiar to many and yet her performance leaves one feeling they are hearing them for the first time. She is to be commended for producing and replicating the enthusiasm of the American musical tradition. The Gershwin pieces are masterpieces in their own right. I would love to see her produce a Gershwin recording. I think you will find yourself listening many times to this amaizing recording.
Very Dirty Playing.......2001-03-20
On this CD Josefowicz goes far beyond that of "Gypsy like abandon," her playing is horribly scratchy. Her performance of the delightful Yankee Doodle Variations by Vieuxtemps is absolutely repulsive. The playing is not helped any by the horrible recording quality either, if you buy this CD, don't buy it for the Yankee Doodle Variations!
Lighthearted, musical fun.......2000-12-13
Leila Josefowicz has shown us, through her previous recordings, that she can play all the "heavies" of the violin repertoire with the best of them. Now she's back, with a catchy, fun recording of jazzy American showpieces. Don't let the cover of the cd fool you into thinking this is a pop princess album, it's not. True, the pieces on here are not heavy, they're purely fun, but she still pulls them off with the same flair and panache as she does in her more serious albums. As Leila states in the liner notes, this album WILL bring a smile to your face! Go out and buy this recording--it's wonderful to listen to when your spirits need a lift.
Average customer rating:
- "Salon" (not "Saloon") Ragtime
- Bolcom - Piano Rags
- Comprehensive collection of modern Americana
- Still Raggin'
|
Bolcom - Piano Rags
Manufacturer: Albany Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
General
| Bolcom, William
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Similar Items:
- Complete Rags for Piano: Piano Solo
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ASIN: B00000IMH2
Release Date: 1999-04-20 |
Tracks:
- Eubie's Lucky Day (Rag Obsession)
- Three Ghost Rags: Graceful Ghost Rag
- Three Ghost Rags: The Poltergeist (Rag Fantasy)
- Three Ghost Rags: Dream Shadows
- Raggin' Rudi
- The Gardenia (Slow Drag)
- Tabby Cat Walk (Slow Two-step)
- California Porcupine Rag
- Rag-Tango
- Last Rag
Tracks:
- Knight Hubert
- Three Classic Rags - Glad Rag
- - Eiptaph for Louis Chauvin (Slow Rag)
- - Incineratorag
- Seabiscuits (from three popular rags)
- Fields of Flowers
- The Garden of Eden - Old Adam (Two Step)
- - The Eternal Feminine (Slow Drag)
- - The Serpent's Kiss (Rag Fantasy)
- - Through Eden's Gate (Cakewalk)
- Lost Lady Rag
- Epithalamium
Customer Reviews:
"Salon" (not "Saloon") Ragtime.......2007-06-06
It's a matter of taste whether one likes ragtime in its "saloon" or "salon" form. Personally I prefer the former, because ragtime was originally performed in saloons and brothels in two of the main centers of early 20th Century popular music -- New Orleans and Sedalia, Missouri. In other words, it was popular entertainment for a popular audience. Admittedly, Scott Joplin, James Scott, and Joseph Lamb (among others) had higher aspirations --- nevertheless, the music's main appeal was the sheer, high-energy "charge" of the music. That's what I find largely missing in more classically-oriented pianists like John Murphy, who, like Joshua Rifkin and John Arpin before him, seem intent on turning the music into something appropriate for a staid Carnegie Hall audience. Not that there aren't fine rags here that occasionally capture the flavor of raw Bohemianism --- pieces like "Eubie's Lucky Day," "Raggin' Rudi," "California Porcupine Rag," and "The Serpent's Kiss" all have their moments. But even on these, the dead weight of Murphy's genteel hand takes a lot of the "dance" out of the music. The concert-hall "echo" effect contributes even more to the annoyingly sanitized quality. Paradoxically, from my point of view, the best piece on the entire set is the slow drag called "The Eternal Feminine," since it's a deliberately laid-back composition to begin with, much like the famous "Heliotrope Bouquet" of Louis Chauvin. For those, however, who want Rags to Really Dance To, I'd recommend Richard Zimmerman's Complete Joplin Rags, some of "Perfessor" Bill Edwards's solo ragtime discs, or, best of all, almost any of the piano rag discs performed by Scott Kirby or David Thomas Roberts. Best single "saloon" disc ever? Track down Roberts's compilation of "The Collected Brun Campbell." Now THERE'S real ragtime!!!"
Bolcom - Piano Rags.......2005-09-02
Better to buy the sheet music to go along with this to realize how complicated these are to play. Murphy has that special 'bent' to play the details - there are no shortcuts in this set..
Comprehensive collection of modern Americana.......2001-10-13
William Bolcom is undoubtedly one of America's most important living composers and musicians. Without sacrificing one iota of his stylistic integrity or musical personality, he has done much to bridge the gap between so-called serious music and the popular idioms that most people think of when the phrase "American music" is uttered: ragtime, jazz and music-hall styles. His albums of popular music from the turn of the 20th century with his wife, mezzo-soprano Joan Morris, remain classics of their kind.
John Murphy, who plays all of Bolcom's piano rags on this collection, is a personal friend of the composer and presumably has his seal of approval. It's good to have all of this enjoyable music in one place; still, I can't muster as much enthusiasm for this album as I would like. Murphy's technique, though serviceable, seems taxed by the more demanding moments in these frequently virtuosic pieces, and the resulting lack of rhythmic precision, in particular, frequently robs the music of its full effect. He also applies the pedal more liberally than I personally like. Nevertheless, the chances of anyone else recording all of Bolcom's 29 rags (including seven unpublished pieces) in the near future is remote, so this is an album fans of this composer ought to have.
Still Raggin'.......2000-04-13
Despite the origins of ragtime being a century ago, ragtime still thrives today. It is considered a legitimate classical music form. It is even more delightful to have contemporary rags get published and performed - especially when the performance captures the nuance of the composer's intentions. William Bolcom's finely crafted rags come to life under pianist John Murphy's hands. From the delicate, thoughtful Ghost Rags to the slammin' variations in the Garden of Eden, Bolcom combines the energy of turn-of-the-century ragtime with refined classical sensibility. This CD set should be a part of any and every ragtime anthology - from casual listeners to classroom teachers.
Average customer rating:
- American Sorta-Beauties
- Good, but not great
- good
- Exquisite!
- Excellent Rags Played with Gusto
|
American Beauties: The Rags of Joseph Lamb
Virginia Eskin
Manufacturer: Koch Int'l Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
Chamber Music
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Similar Items:
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ASIN: B00004SC17
Release Date: 2000-05-23 |
Tracks:
- Walper House Rag
- The Alaskan Rag
- Ragtime Reverie
- Brown Derbie No.2
- Alabama Rag
- Arctic Sunset
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- Ethiopia
- Excelsior
- American Beauty Rag
- Patricia Rag
- Nightingale Rag
Amazon.com
Joseph Lamb, a white musician who lived from 1887 to 1960, was considered one of the major ragtime composers of his era. By the end of his life, he had fallen into total obscurity, and even the ragtime revival hasn't made him a household name. His rags are different in style from Scott Joplin's, generally briefer and simpler in construction but still filled with lovely melodies and unaffected charm. The "American Beauty Rag," from which this disc takes its name, is only one of Lamb's many delicious miniatures (most of them under three minutes). Virginia Eskin has the style of this music down perfectly. She plays with just the right tempos (a trifle faster than would be appropriate for most of Joplin) and a lyrical sensitivity that doesn't prevent her from showing rhythmic drive. We're used to more than 49 minutes of music on most CDs, but 20 of Lamb's rags in a row are enough for one listening session. Don't give up before you reach the last one, though; "Nightingale Rag" is one of Lamb's best. A fascinating byway in American music is effectively explored and presented in realistic sound. --Leslie Gerber
Customer Reviews:
American Sorta-Beauties.......2007-05-06
Ms. Eskin certainly can play piano. She can certainly read music. And she can combine the two well enough. What I found most distracting about this album, however, isn't the fact that she doesn't repeat many of the measures. It's that she tends occasionally to hit clinkers. After the first one or two, I found myself listening more closely for mistakes than actually enjoying the music. Another problem with this album is that her renditions are too bulky and heavy. I've heard much cleaner-sounding performances of Lamb's work.
I paid the money so I don't intend to return the CD. But it'll play well enough in my noisy car driving to and from work.
Good, but not great.......2005-10-10
I have owned this album since June 2000, and it inspired me at the time to find out more online and even to compose some rags of my own. It turns out that many of the melodies are made more "logical" by Eskin. However, she does use too much pedal, and she also does not take most of the repeats. It is unfortunate that she repeats only the first strain of "Ragtime Reverie," for there are no on-demand recordings of that work over the Internet.
good.......2005-07-31
its a good album but not very good
first of all in several rags virgina doesn't repeat where it says it must. second she plays several rags way to fast. Joe lamb was just like the others that ragtime must not be played fast the feeling get lost in the a rag that is played to fast like ragtime nightingale. I have the sheetmusic myself and it says "slow march tempo" not fast like virginia it plays.
but its a good album she plays with flair and style
Exquisite!.......2002-12-29
Joseph F. Lamb is generally thought of as one of the three greatest of the classical ragtime composers, the others being Scott Joplin and James Scott. It's a matter of taste, but many rank him almost as highly as Joplin, and this exquisite album shows why. Lamb's rags typically soar with wonderful, reverie-evoking melodies, unmatched in the ragtime canon. These melodies are offset by original, exciting, brisk passages. Virginia Eskin executes these gems wonderfully. She presents them always at the proper tempo and as written, without the filigrees that are so common in ragtime playing (Lamb doesn't need them!). The only drawback -- and it is a very minor one -- is that she sometimes treads a little too heavily on the pedal. This album is essential in even a small ragtime collection. In my large collection, it is one of my favorite and oft-played treasures.
Excellent Rags Played with Gusto.......2002-08-04
Up until Joseph Lamb, the only ragtime composer who could satisfy me was Scott Joplin. These rags are excellent and distinctly different from Joplin's, although both composers are obviously from the same genre. According to the liner notes, they even knew each other.
The pianist has a great love of the material, and it shows in her playing.
I highly recommend this CD to all fans of ragtime.
Average customer rating:
- Read the fine print before you buy
- The most distinguished Joplin playing.
- The most distinguished Joplin playing
- Joplin played like Joplin plays.
- E. Power Biggs: The Easy Winner
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Super Hits: Scott Joplin
Manufacturer: Sony
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Similar Items:
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ASIN: B00004W5AK
Release Date: 2000-08-08 |
Tracks:
- Entertainer
- Maple Leaf Rag
- Easy Winners
- Peacherine Rag
- Elite Syncopations
- Cleopha
- Original Rags - E. Power Biggs
- Pineapple Rag
- Binks' Waltz
- Strenuous Life
- Sunflower Slow Drag
- Paragon Rag
- Great Crush Collision March
Customer Reviews:
Read the fine print before you buy.......2005-08-17
I bought this not realizing that these are not piano performances, but every track is played on a Pedal Harpsicord. Don't make the same mistake... If you want piano, get a different disc.
The most distinguished Joplin playing........2002-12-24
I was delighted to find this LP recording re-issued on CD.
E. Power Bigg's stylish and refined playing on his own mighty and meaty pedal harpsichord is a delight. He brings the right blend of joi-de-vivre and sophistication to the music. How pleased Joplin would have been to hear his music played by a musician of this renown on an instrument of this quality.
Rifkin's piano recordings are fine, and very faithful. But E. Power Biggs brings an extra something, in addition to being faithful to Joplin's notes. Infectious, and a delight.
The most distinguished Joplin playing.......2002-12-20
This is the most distinguished Joplin playing to be found.
I was first aware of this recording in LP form in the 70s. My friends had it, and then I was delighted to buy an LP copy for myself as it was re-issued. I am so pleased that it is now available in CD form.
E. Power Biggs is certainly the most distinguished musician to have recorded Joplin, and his playing on the wonderful, meaty pedal harpsichord is infectious.
Joplin would have loved, I am sure, to know that his music ended up being performed by 'serious' musicians of this calibre on instruments of this quality. (Also worth mentioning is the Joplin Marches CD by Professor William Albright on a Bosendorfer Imperial Grand Piano. Albright's left hand seems a little 'light' however).
My particular favourites on this recording are Cleopha and Binks' Waltz.
The big pedal harpsichord has a full and ponderous sound, yet the renditions are full of liveliness and life.
Joshua Rifkin's fine recordings can sound a little 'worthy' compared to this CD. Dick Hyman's fine 1970s set - very comprehensive - is nice, but the playing not in quite the same league as this. (and I do not think it was ever re-issued on CD).
There are various other recordings of Joplin, by a variety of Pianists, on various labels. And there are various 'arrangements' by different musicians. But for sheer musical quality and 'joi-de-vivre', E. Power Biggs' playing on this recodring is unsurpassed.
Joplin played like Joplin plays........2000-11-09
Based on the previous review, I purchased this CD, and it is great. To begin with, I have the complete New England Conservatory, Red Book, and Joshua Rifkin Joplin LPs, and strongly recommend them. But, enjoyable as they are, their languidness is not what Joplin intended. I also have some piano rolls of several rags as played by Joplin, and the tempo is race track fast. Which is exactly the manner in which Biggs uses the pedal harpsichord to render these rags. Joplin intended these rags to be a Fourth of July parade, not a soft dreamy summer night, and Biggs fullfills the promise. So I like both the Rifkin "Entertainer/[movie]Sting" versions, and I love this recording. Of particular delight for me are Joplin's Paragon and Pine Apple Rags. And of course, do not miss the Houston Opera recording of "Treemoshina." Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.
E. Power Biggs: The Easy Winner.......2000-09-23
Classical musicians have been featured playing ragtime since Joshua Rifkin's bestselling albums of the late 1960's. Many of these classically-influenced performances were appealing, but at the same time seemed a little stiff, a little pedantic, like badly played Handel. In contrast, E. Power Biggs, the Bach organ virtuoso, makes Scott Joplin really live. He opens up some intriguing new dimensions in this collection of rags, recorded in 1973.
Biggs performs the music on the pedal harpsichord--which would seem to be an unlikely choice--but the percussive quality of the harpsichord makes the syncopations clear and crisp. The magnificent instrument used, made by John Challis, has a range of timbres, and Biggs combines and varies these so the different pieces each have their own character. The bass is played on foot pedals, and the left hand plays the chords on the off-beat. The right hand plays the melody on a separate keyboard, assigned a different voice for clarity. It sounds less like a baroque performance than a ragtime string band--something like the mandolin-guitar-string bass combinations of the ragtime era.
While Biggs maintains the syncopations of the pieces, there is not a strong African American feeling. He doesn't rag that thing. But he has a wonderful ear for the chorale-like harmonies in Joplin, and a natural sense of the phrasing of the pieces that brings out the structure. He slows just a little at the final chord that marks the end of each melodic strain, and then picks up the tempo in the next strain, as if the piece was getting its second wind. These tempo changes are subtle, but the effect is very satisfying. Along with the tonal variations, the phrasing helps keep this somewhat-formulaic music from sounding all the same.
The pieces performed will be familiar to Joplin listeners: Maple Leaf Rag, of course, and the usual selections such as Original Rags and The Easy Winners. The approach is different enough that hearing the standard rags does not seem like covering old ground. On the other hand, it is sad that Biggs, like the rest of the classical world, overlooked all the other ragtime composers, and the related early jazz of musicians like James P. Johnson or Willie "The Lion" Smith (who composed the 12th Street Rag). It would have been very interesting to hear what Biggs would have done with these more complex works.
But, at the same time, the familiarity of this collection of music is one of its strengths. It's the same old stuff, but not the same old way, and the quality of playing easily surpasses almost all the recordings in this genre. If you like ragtime, and are open to an innovative approach t by one of the century's greatest keyboard players, this CD will bring a spring to your step.
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