Confrey: Piano Music

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Zez Confrey (1895-1971) may not be a household name, but his 1921 masterpiece "Kitten on the Keys" certainly is. The Illinois-born composer studied the classics growing up, but somehow the temptation of Vaudeville sneaked its way into his compositions and he found success writing catchy ragtime miniatures with goofy names ("Wise Cracker Suite," "Dizzy Fingers," "Blue Tornado"). Republic of Georgia pianist Eteri Andjaparidze performs 24 of Confrey's works with technical perfection and plenty of spirit--two requirements for these compositions--but sounds a tad robotic on some numbers. Between "Kitten" and 1959's "Fourth Dimension," Confrey explored blues, rags, Latin rhythms, and--of course--jazz, but the real highlight here is a slow number, the four-movement Moods of a New Yorker. In sum, this a great tribute featuring great music, perfect for fans of George Gershwin, Ferde Grofé, Jelly Roll Morton, and Joseph Lamb. --Jason Verlinde

Confrey: Piano Music, Music, Zez Confrey, Eteri Andjaparidze, Chamber Music & Recitals, Classical, Classical Artists, Classical Music, Keyboard, Music for Keyboard
The Teddy Bears Picnic
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Must for your collection ~ and your childrens collection
  • Teddy Bears a Must-Listen!
  • The cat's meow!
 The Teddy Bears Picnic

Manufacturer: Dorian Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. Teddy Bears' Picnic (Aladdin Picture Books)
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  4. The Teddy Bears' Picnic

ASIN: B00004STPU
Release Date: 2000-06-13

Tracks:

  1. The Teddy Bears Picnic
  2. A Morning In Noah's Ark
  3. The Two Little Bulfinches
  4. The Magpie And The Parrot
  5. The Whistler And His Dog
  6. Chicken Reel
  7. Elephantine Polka
  8. In Bugdom
  9. The Glow-Worm
  10. Porcupine Rag
  11. Turkey In The Straw
  12. Parade Of The Doodle-Bugs
  13. Somewhere A Cow Is Bawling
  14. Kitten On The Keys
  15. Tiger Rag

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Must for your collection ~ and your childrens collection.......2003-09-23

What a wonderful introduction to classical music for your children this CD is. My children love it and I do too. We use it as bedtime music now (ages 4 & 7). However, if your children really tune in to the music it can be a bit unnerving in parts so we used to only listen to it at home or in the car......they had to gain a few years to become comfortable with it in the darkness of their rooms at night. Buy this!

5 out of 5 stars Teddy Bears a Must-Listen!.......2000-09-06

This is the first CD by the New Columbian Brass Band I have ever purchased, and I can't wait to own them all. This virtuoso group is a joy to listen to. Owning this CD is a must for lovers of brass band/turn-of-the-century music. It's a delight!

5 out of 5 stars The cat's meow!.......2000-05-16

Dorian Recordings should be given some kind of award for the most imaginative releases of not only great historical but great musical value. (DOR-93201) features the New Columbian Brass Band under George Foreman playing 15 pieces written from 1900 to 1921 and inspired by animals.

So we have "The Teddy Bears Picnic," "A Morning in Noah's Ark," "The Two Little Bullfinches," "Turkey in the Straw," and even "Tiger Rag." The Noah's Ark number is replete with animal sounds by a guest expert and links up with an earlier Dorian release called "A Trip to Coney Island: Descriptive Overtures from America's Golden Age" (DOR-80153), which introduced me to a form of musical tone poem very popular around the turn of the century.

This is one of those rare recordings that will appeal to all age levels; and scholars will be delighted to note that "Turkey in the Straw" is actually a Humoresque for Clarinet. Also anyone who has ever seen barnyard chickens in any old Warner Brothers cartoon will have already heard "Chicken Reel." A very definite 5 star Grabbit.
Confrey: Piano Music
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Oh, Kitten...it's a Must Have
  • Almost , Nearly, perfect
  • Much more than Kitten On the Keys
  • Zany yet poetic!
  • Brilliant!
 Confrey: Piano Music

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000HZOE
Release Date: 1999-01-19

Tracks:

  1. Kitten On The Keys
  2. Dizzy Fingers
  3. Meandering
  4. African Suite: I. High Hattin'
  5. African Suite: II. Kinda Careless
  6. African Suite: III. Mississippi Shivers
  7. Jay Walk
  8. Sparkling Waters
  9. Wise Cracker Suite: I. Yokel Opus
  10. Wise Cracker Suite: II. Mighty Lackawanna
  11. Wise Cracker Suite: III. The Sheriff's Lament
  12. Amazonia
  13. Blue Tornado
  14. Three Little Oddities: I. Impromptu
  15. Three Little Oddities: II. Romanza
  16. Three Little Oddities: III. Novelette
  17. Coaxing The Piano
  18. Stumbling (Paraphrase)
  19. Moods Of A New Yorker: I. At Dusk
  20. Moods Of A New Yorker: II. Movie Ballet
  21. Moods Of A New Yorker: III. Relaxation
  22. Moods Of A New Yorker: IV. After Theatre (Tango)
  23. Rhythm Venture
  24. Fourth Dimension

Amazon.com

Zez Confrey (1895-1971) may not be a household name, but his 1921 masterpiece "Kitten on the Keys" certainly is. The Illinois-born composer studied the classics growing up, but somehow the temptation of Vaudeville sneaked its way into his compositions and he found success writing catchy ragtime miniatures with goofy names ("Wise Cracker Suite," "Dizzy Fingers," "Blue Tornado"). Republic of Georgia pianist Eteri Andjaparidze performs 24 of Confrey's works with technical perfection and plenty of spirit--two requirements for these compositions--but sounds a tad robotic on some numbers. Between "Kitten" and 1959's "Fourth Dimension," Confrey explored blues, rags, Latin rhythms, and--of course--jazz, but the real highlight here is a slow number, the four-movement Moods of a New Yorker. In sum, this a great tribute featuring great music, perfect for fans of George Gershwin, Ferde Grofé, Jelly Roll Morton, and Joseph Lamb. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Oh, Kitten...it's a Must Have.......2004-12-29

Hats off to Naxos for releasing this absolutely perfect tribute to Zez Confrey - it was high time, someone had to do it, and Naxos has done Confrey real justice. One would expect caricature of his work, rather than the respectful, honest, accurate renditions of his work featured on this album.

I discovered my love for Confrey thanks to the Aeolian Hall Birth of Rhapsody in Blue album (another of my reviews covers that great one), which featured a small selection of his compositions. The distinct, unique sound of his work snagged me immediately, and so I was thrilled to come upon this little Naxos treat.

Every piece on the album is sheer delight, but several do stand out from the rest. "Kitten on the Keys" (Confrey's most famous composition, here done full justice), "Meandering" (which just glides and lilts along like feathers on a breeze), "Kinda Careless" (a sensuous, seductive little number), "Yokel Opus" (a snappy little foxtrot), "Coaxing the Piano" (which seems almost an homage to 'Twelfth Street Rag', in a skewed way), "Movie Ballet" (which sounds exactly like its title would suggest), and "Rhythm Venture" (so gracefully syncopated, it's practically a marvel).

Any and all Confrey and jazz fans should consider this album as required listening, and well worth owning. The price alone is reason enough - you cannot go wrong with Naxos' rates. But even if it were four times the price, it would still be a bargain.

4 out of 5 stars Almost , Nearly, perfect.......2003-10-25

Wonderful selection of pieces, most of these are lesser-known Confrey and tend to represent his more "Serious" music. Perhaps because of that the pianist (a superb performer) tends to emphasize their concert qualities over their popular music aspects. This is only a tiny complaint. There's a lot of excellect music here, and at Naxos' low price it's a bargan.

5 out of 5 stars Much more than Kitten On the Keys.......2002-05-16

If you thought an album of Zez Confrey music would be track after track like Dizzy Fingers or Kitten On the Keys, you are in a for a pleasant surprise with this superb CD.

The performances of the said party pieces are fast, furious and fun, but there are also some great blues renditions, and some lyrical, reflective pieces.

I would have preferred if the CD had included a few more of the well-known pieces like My Pet, Poor Buttermilk and You Tell 'Em, Ivories, but the many pieces I had never heard of are interesting, and are played beautifully.

5 out of 5 stars Zany yet poetic!.......2000-09-04

Once again, in its "American Classics" series, Naxos has pulled a pleasant surprise rabbit out of the hat. Zez Confrey must be a new name for virtually everyone, unless they are well past my own age, and I don't go back quite that far. The name was certainly new for me, but a few of the pieces on this disc brought memories flooding back, most likely because my parents once had them coupled on an ancient 78 shellac.

Confrey (1895 - 1971) had been relegated pretty much to the dustbin of history before this release. But he did have his days in the sun between the two world wars. Undoubtedly his brightest moment was when he shared billing with George Gershwin and Paul Whiteman on the occasion of the premiere for Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, where Confrey had the stage in the first half of the concert and Gershwin in the second. For the most part, after that February, 1924 "An Experiment in Modern Music" concert of Whiteman's, the paths of Gershwin and Confrey began to diverge; Gershwin was, to put it simply, an overnight success.

All of the music on this album is fun, and virtually all of it demands virtuosic pianistic ability, which Confrey must certainly have possessed. Listening to it is like taking a trip down memory lane, back to the popular music in the first third of the previous century. There are pieces which have clear roots in ragtime, embellished upon and brought forward by a few decades, and at least a selection or two which sound very much like Gershwin preludes in their "bluesy" feel. It's also clear that Confrey was not unaware of the classical music of the period, because a few of the pieces capture the idioms of the piano music of Rachmaninoff and Ravel of that period (although they soon veer off into "Confrey territory"). If you listen carefully, you'll even hear a passing reference or two to Chopin. But, like the Rachmaninoff and Ravel musical allusions, these too are in fact just "passing references."

But most of the album is pure Confrey-style pianistic wizardry: Fleet fingers, crossing hands, syncopations and rhythmic "irregularities" with the colorfully descriptive titles of "Meandering", "Coaxing the Piano" and "Stumbling." And his two most famous pieces (which, probably, many of us have never heard), "Kitten on the Keys" and "Dizzy Fingers." (In fact, it was "Dizzy Fingers" and "Stumbling" which must have been the coupling on that ancient 78, because they were immediately recognizable.)

Eteri Andjaparidze is an excellent technician in this work, which can be very demanding of technique if it is to be pulled off properly. By and large, she does very well by it. In particular, she succeeds in capturing the passing allusions to the classical piano music of the time. If I had my druthers, I might ask for a little more panache, or insouciance, if you like, in the Confrey specialities noted in the previous paragraph. But who can quibble, especially at the Naxos price, without appearing to be a piker?

Neat stuff for a refreshing change of pace, with an opportunity to hear an hour's worth of music by someone who had been ignored for too long. That's a "get it" recommendation!

Bob Zeidler

5 out of 5 stars Brilliant!.......2000-03-22

I have no idea what Jason Verlinde meant by saying that Eteri Andjaparidze sounds "a tad robotic" on certain pieces on her new Zez Confrey album; indeed, the Republic of Georgia pianist sounds absolutely marvelously free in her interpretations. I cannot hear anything "robotic" at all in her playing. She approaches the intricate syncopations of Confrey's music with dazzling style. She is technically proficient enough to take Confrey's tempi at a furious pace, when necessary, in pieces such as "Kitten on the Keys" and "Dizzy Fingers," and to create a sustained, beautiful flow to the music in such "impressionistic" pieces as "Sparkling Waters" and "Mighty Lackawana." The selections which will remind the listener of Art Deco New York in the 1920's and 1930's, are taken at exactly the right tempo, and Ms. Andjaparidze syncopates the rhythms in a sparkling manner. I was utterly amazed at how a pianist, trained in the Republic of Georgia, could evoke the rhythms and style of American music of this type. But she does! In addition, the piano has been recorded beautifully, with sparkling tone at the treble end, and a rich, full bass. I purchased this CD a few hours after reading Frank Behrens' review. It is a wonderful addition to my collection of American music. I urge you to hear this excellent release. Naxos is to be commended for making it available.
World's Greatest Piano Rags
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • wonderful collection
 World's Greatest Piano Rags
Eubie Blake , William Bolcom , Zez Confrey , George Gershwin , Robert Hampton , Scott Joplin , Joseph Lamb , Artie Matthews , Joseph C. Northrup , Jay Roberts , James Scott , Richard Dowling , and Bruce Leek
Manufacturer: Klavier
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

WaltzesWaltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Bolcom, William | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by GershwinAll Works by Gershwin | Gershwin, George | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B0001JXOM6
Release Date: 2004-02-24

Tracks:

  1. Cannon Ball
  2. Pastime Rag No. 3
  3. American Beauty Rag
  4. Hilarity Rag
  5. Ragtime Oriole
  6. Ragtime Nightingale
  7. Entertainer's Rag
  8. Bethena: A Concert Waltz
  9. Pastime Rag No. 4
  10. Solace: A Mexican Serenade
  11. Pastime Rag No. 2
  12. Graceful Ghost Rag
  13. Cataract Rag
  14. Maple Leaf Rag
  15. Poor Katie Redd
  16. Coaxing the Piano
  17. Baltimore Toledo
  18. Rialto Ripples Rag
  19. Merry Andrew
  20. Dizzy Fingers
  21. Kitten on the Keys
  22. Brittwood Rag

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars wonderful collection.......2005-08-24

This is a great collection of rags of various styles. The Graceful Ghost is just a wonderful flowing rag bordering on classical, and at the other end is the very fun Entertainer's Rag. Richard Bowling plays them all well. The three Zez Confrey cuts are not to my liking so much, but the rest is a set of play over and over things.
Virtuosi
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Classics with a Jazzy Pulse
  • A marvelous blend
  • "wonderful marriage between Classical and Jazz...Concord!"
 Virtuosi

Manufacturer: Concord Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by BarberAll Works by Barber | Barber, Samuel | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by BrahmsAll Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000060OWW
Release Date: 2002-03-12

Tracks:

  1. Tombeau De Couperin I: Prelude
  2. Excursions I, Op.20
  3. Prelude VIII, Op.32
  4. Milonga
  5. Prelude II
  6. Sonata K20
  7. Three Little Oddities: Impromptu
  8. Piano Concerto In F: Movement III
  9. Lakme Medley: Berceuse/Duettino
  10. Capriccio II, Op.76
  11. Something Borrowed, Something Blue

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Classics with a Jazzy Pulse.......2005-07-07

Burton and Ozone perform a splendidly diverse variety of classics alongside some newer tunes considered classics in their own right. Tombeau de Couperin, Rachmaninoff's Prelude, Scarlatti's Sonata, and the Lakmé Medley do not merely use a melody and chord changes as inspiration for a "head chart," but rather delve inside the original songs for a new twist. The Sonata particularly shows off the duo's ingenuity in finding a new interpretation that respects the old melody.

The newer pieces (such as Milonga, the Confrey Impromptu and the Gershwin pieces) do not belittle themselves as "lesser classics," but Ozone and Burton respect them as equals to the other pieces. The final piece, though not destined to be a classic of its own, is a pensive reflection on the "classics" which echoes the voice the duo found inside many of the other pieces. Overall, a charmingly novel album perfect for lovers of jazz and classical music alike.

5 out of 5 stars A marvelous blend.......2002-11-27

This Burton-Ozone collaboration has produced a record that deserves to be timeless. It is a marvelous blend of the classical and jazz traditions. The spirit of the classical composers represented on the disc comes through in a refreshing way, brilliantly interpreted by these two superb musicians. This will be my favorite record from the year 2002, no question about it.

5 out of 5 stars "wonderful marriage between Classical and Jazz...Concord!".......2002-03-12

Two genres appease my appetite for today's music CLASSICAL and JAZZ...so it's no
wonder this latest Concord release hits the spot to satisfy my craving...featuring Gary
Burton(vibes) and Makoto Ozone(piano), performing the works of Barber, Bonilla, Brahms,
Cardoso, Confrey, Delibes, Gershwin, Rachmaninoff, Scarlatti and even Ozone composed
his "SOMETHING BORROWED, SOMETHING BLUE", mesmerizing with haunting
overtones, a perfect ending to this classic event.

Each piece mirrors the harmonies of both classical and jazz, through the musicianship of each
artists...much care has been taken to present various tempo and moods...from Latin,
Brazilian, Swing, Tango leaning toward polished styles that will amaze and enlightened the
listener...each selection has tremendous improvisation, with some Blues thrown in for good
measure(now we're cooking).

A big thank you to Concord Jazz, Gary Burton(producer), Glen Barros and John
Burk(executive producers)...a wonderful and exciting album for all jazz and classical fans
alike...just listen and study this one-of-a-kind project...hope to see more in the future...this is
a totally satisfying CD, a must have for anyone who plays an instrument or just enjoys GOOD
MUSIC!

Total Time: 69:45 on 11 Tracks ~ Concord Jazz 2105 ~ (2002)
Purrfectly Classical
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • More fun than a litter of kittens!
  • Charming and delightful
  • My Doggies Went Nuts When They Heard This CD!
  • Meow
 Purrfectly Classical

Manufacturer: Centaur
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005BI36
Release Date: 2001-04-24

Tracks:

  1. Chaucer: Mice Before Milk
  2. Copland: The Cat And The Mouse
  3. Faure: Kitty Valse
  4. Cage: little four paws
  5. Anon.: St. Jerome's Cat
  6. Scarlatti: The Cat Fugue
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  8. Siegmaster: Our Cat
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  10. Swinburne: To A Cat
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  15. Wolf: Mouse-Catching Rhyme
  16. Anon.: The Wonder Of The Cat
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  29. Anon.: The Cats Of Kilkenney
  30. Tchaikovsky: Puss-In-Boots And The White Cat
  31. Britten: For I Will Consider My Cat Jeoffrey
  32. Salmanov: The Hungry Cat And The Well-Fad Cat
  33. King: That Cat
  34. Copland: I Bought Me A Cat
  35. Confrey: Kitten On The Keys
  36. Rossini: The Cat Duet

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars More fun than a litter of kittens!.......2004-01-17

I am familiar with Mr. Lester's work, so when I found this CD, I had to get a copy. It is delightful. The wealth of music about cats is amazing! I played Copland's Cat and Mouse in a recital many years ago. I had no clue there were so many other cat tunes out there. The Cat duet that closes the CD is very funny. Zez Confrey's Kitten on the Keys rings so true - if you know cats.

Please don't let the "cute" idea behind this CD make you think the compositions or the performances are second rate. Nothing here is second rate. Noel Lester is a true artist and I admire his skill. The voices are full and rich. Even the short snippets of poetry work beautifully and I ordinarily don't like spoken word combined with my music. All the spoken word bits are very short, less than 25 seconds.

You will enjoy the playfulness and artistry of this CD. Look for more music from Mr. Lester. He is an American treasure.

5 out of 5 stars Charming and delightful.......2002-10-20

This CD will appeal to lovers of classical music and cats. A surprising number of classical composers wrote piano pieces and songs about our feline friends and this disc serves up a number of surprising gems. The many moods and musical styles found are astonishing and the collection intersperses poems (about cats, of course!)and songs and duets among the piano pieces. The sound is brilliant and the performances are stellar. A winner!!

5 out of 5 stars My Doggies Went Nuts When They Heard This CD!.......2002-10-20

If you love cats, or if you hate them, I'd say you'll LOVE this CD! It's clever, witty, beautifully packaged; and the music is wonderfully played --- one gem after another! Couldn't recommend highly enough. Meow!!

5 out of 5 stars Meow.......2002-09-05

A very delightful album. Makes a great gift.
There are some rare musical treats that involve cats.
Salon to Swing
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • A gem from a bygone era!
 Salon to Swing

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Joyce, ArchibaldJoyce, Archibald | ( J ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Ketèlbey, Albert WilliamKetèlbey, Albert William | ( K ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
Vocal & SongVocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
Classic Big BandClassic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Modern & 20th CenturyModern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
MarchesMarches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music
Orchestral PopOrchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
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  1. The Grand Passions of Albert W. Ketèlbey
  2. Down Peacock Alley
  3. Puttin' on the Ritz

ASIN: B000000AKX
Release Date: 1992-10-28

Tracks:

  1. Songe d' Automne
  2. The Dancing Dustman
  3. Roses Of Picardy
  4. The Whistler & His Dog
  5. Fragrance
  6. Tiszian Chikosh
  7. In A Monastery Garden
  8. Russian Rag
  9. Clarinet Marmalade
  10. Stardust
  11. Who
  12. Dizzy Fingers
  13. Cherokee
  14. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square
  15. Special Delivery Stomp

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A gem from a bygone era!.......2007-03-15

As far as I can research the orchestra as formed in 1978 by Mr. Anthony Godwin, bass clarinettist with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. He had inherited a complete library of theatre music dating from 1880 to 1930 and it's from this that their repetoire is mainly drawn. They try and re-create the sound and atmostphere of those early days by using instruments of that era. For instance on the song "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" the soprano Linda Murray is accompanied by David Norton on the musical saw.

A most excellent CD recreating the 20' and 30's Golden Age. Highly recommended!
Accordiorama: Hohner Accordion Symphony Orchestra, Vol.2
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • A Guilty Pleasure and Sheer Delight
 Accordiorama: Hohner Accordion Symphony Orchestra, Vol.2

Manufacturer: Vanguard Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

PolkasPolkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
WaltzesWaltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by GounodAll Works by Gounod | Gounod, Charles | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by Johann Strauss Sr.All Works by Johann Strauss Sr. | Strauss Sr., Johann | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
RomanticRomantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
ViolinViolin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
CompilationsCompilations | Classical | Styles | Music
RomancesRomances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
FrenchFrench | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Classic Big BandClassic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Masters of the Accordion

ASIN: B00000J823
Release Date: 1999-05-18

Tracks:

  1. My Fair Lady: My Fair Lady (Medley)
  2. Annen Polka - Johann Strauss
  3. Bel Viso
  4. Entry Of The Gladiators
  5. Der Ziegenbock (The Ram)
  6. The Skaters' Waltz, Op. 138
  7. Hoch Heidecksburg
  8. Schwarzwalder Polka
  9. Hejre Kati
  10. Colonel Bogey March
  11. Tales From Munich
  12. Dizzy Fingers
  13. Lustige Polka
  14. Waltzes From 'Faust' - Charles Gounod
  15. Bavarian Woodpecker
  16. Landler In Thirds
  17. Champagne Galop

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A Guilty Pleasure and Sheer Delight.......2000-10-19

the absolute sound, a premier stereo magazine, has loosened up its musical tastes in issues 125-6, and allowed its eminent reviewers to pass along music that meets the pleasure test. This particular recording does just that for me, it pleasures me, and makes me feel guilt for enjoying My Fair Lady as it was meant to be heard, via the Hohner Accordian Symphony Orchestra. The polkas and waltzes bring back memories of driving to Clear Lake, Iowa, to dance to the Six Fat Dutchmen, and the River Kwai "Colonel Bogey" March alone would make this CD resonate in my heart. It matches, in its joy, "Karussells of Europe", another recent purchase. Both recordings are 24 bit, and make my car and home speakers peal with joy. Both recordings are non medical antidepressants for the young at heart. And if you truly feel guilty about enjoying them as much as I did, say one Our Father and two Hail Marys, and all will be forgiven.
Zez Confrey Piano Rolls and Scores
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • remarkable evocation of a bygone style
  • Wodehouse the magnificent
  • The Rolls Royce of Zez Confrey recordings.
 Zez Confrey Piano Rolls and Scores

Manufacturer: Warner Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Confrey: Piano Music
  2. Keyboard Wizards Of The Gershwin Era, Vol.4
  3. James Scott: The Complete Works 1903-1922
  4. American Beauties: The Rags of Joseph Lamb
  5. Complete Stark Rags of Joseph F. Lamb

ASIN: B00007KMNW
Release Date: 2003-04-01

Tracks:

  1. Dizzy Fingers
  2. The Red Lantern
  3. By The Waters Of The Minnetonka
  4. Novelette
  5. Waltz Mirage
  6. Greenwich Witch
  7. Afghanistan
  8. Kitten On The Keys
  9. Kinda Careless
  10. The Sheik Of Araby
  11. Heaven's Garden
  12. Stumbling
  13. Jaywalk
  14. Tap Dance Of The Chimes
  15. Humorestless
  16. That Thing Called Love
  17. Midsummer's Nightmare
  18. Tricks
  19. Coaxing The Piano
  20. Concert Etude
  21. My Pet
  22. Relaxation
  23. Fantasy Of Today

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars remarkable evocation of a bygone style.......2003-07-25

In some ways, Artis Wodehouse's Disklavier realization of Zez Confrey's lighter-than-air pianistic joyrides is an even more impressive accomplishment than her previous restorations of Gershwin and Jelly Roll Morton piano rolls. Confrey's novelty style seems the truest musical embodiment of F. Scott Fitzgerald. It is fascinating to hear the spirit of the 20s come to life in such a nerve titillating way. Especially remarkable are the selections hand played by Ms. Wodehouse into the Disklavier. Though they are designated on the jacket liner notes, by ear it is impossible to tell the difference-- a tribute to the complete success and seamless integrity of her stylistic resurrection.

5 out of 5 stars Wodehouse the magnificent.......2003-04-25

I've heard Artis Wodehouse play in other venues and she is an artist of the most amazing versatility and profound knowledge, not to mention astounding energy. This CD is exciting to listen to, friends play in their workplaces to add zip to life there. It will bring you tremendous enjoyment.

5 out of 5 stars The Rolls Royce of Zez Confrey recordings........2003-04-10

If you already know and enjoy Zez Confrey's music, this disc belongs in your collection. If Confrey is unknown to you, this disc still belongs in your collection, unless of course you find joyful, exuberant piano music to be repugnant.

For those new to Confrey, here's a brief description:

Edward Elzear Confrey (known to all as Zez) was a self-described composer of novelty piano music, his way of trying to describe music that was at once influenced by ragtime, early jazz, popular songs, and classical composers, particularly Debussy and MacDowell. His music rarely if ever aspires to emotional profundity, but its sheer joy, bounce, and tunefulness make it hard to put down once you've started, whether as listener or pianist. As an amateur pianist, I've been playing Zez Confrey's music for 20 years. The reactions I have gotten from people over the years have been consistently the same; "Wow! Who wrote that?", and "Are there recordings of this music I can buy?". Now, this disc gives me an easy answer to the second question.

This disc is Artis Wodehouse's fourth disc devoted to her amazing humanized piano rolls. The first two covered a good cross-section of George Gershwin's piano rolls, while a third was a collection of piano rolls by Jelly Roll Morton. This is easily her finest work since the first "Gershwin plays Gershwin" disc in 1993.

Zez Confrey, like his contemporaries George Gershwin and Jelly Roll Morton, left behind a well-rounded collection of acoustic gramophone recordings as well as paper piano rolls. The least sophisticated of these paper rolls merely captured the notes that the pianist played and nothing more. Once the roll was published and sold, it was the job of the consumer, operating his or her own reproducing piano, to mechanically add pedaling, rubato, and dynamics as he or she saw fit. However, the most sophisticated reproducing rolls captured not only the notes but the pedaling, rubato, and dynamics used by the pianist, often with uncanny accuracy. All paper rolls allowed the pianist the option of post-production editing, e.g., removing wrong notes, and in popular music such as this, adding dazzling "third hand" counterpoint effects that made the end result unplayable by a human pianist. Confrey was one the best at this, and he uses this technique liberally throughout the rolls on this disc. (For those of you familiar with Confrey's "Kitten on the Keys" or "Dizzy Fingers" in their standard published versions, you're in for a treat once you hear Confrey's souped up three-handed versions presented here.) Still, even the best of these paper rolls played back on the best reproducing pianos could never be mistaken by an astute listener for a human being (two-handed or otherwise). There was always a discernible gap between playing produced in the human realm and that of the mechanical realm, that is until relatively recently. The explosion of digital technology has allowed such things as computerized reproducing pianos like the Yamaha Disklavier to become a readily available reality. Recordings made and played back on such pianos are virtually indistinguishable from live human performances. It wasn't long before people like Artis Wodehouse starting exploring ways to apply this technology to the old paper rolls, finally enabling listeners to experience what it might have been like to hear pianists like Gershwin, Morton, and Confrey recorded in the flesh, and in modern sound. By taking the information encoded on these old paper rolls and feeding it into a Yamaha Disklavier system, she has been able narrow the gap between human playing and mechanical playing to the point of near nonexistence. Through careful study of Confrey's actual playing from acoustic recordings, Wodehouse has softened the mechanical edges, painstakingly adding those qualities that distinguished Confrey's playing in the flesh, effectively making each roll indistinguishable from an actual human performance.

On the first Gershwin disc from 1993, several of the rolls she chose had been previously recorded in their original paper roll form. Having heard these original paper roll recordings, listening to Artis Wodehouse's humanized versions of these same rolls was like seeing an old film before and then after restoration. In short, it was a revelation.

This new Zez Confrey disc easily lives up to these high standards Wodehouse set for herself, indeed this disc may even set the bar higher. This time around, not only is Wodehouse working from two different types of paper rolls, she is actually playing some of the pieces herself, works that Confrey did not record, but that deserve a place on any disc of Confrey's music. The joyful bounce and rhythmic snap of her playing so perfectly matches Confrey's own playing that it becomes impossible to tell which tracks are hers and which are Confrey's. The result is an amazingly seamless and unified blend of musicianship, scholarship, technological know-how, with an astute understanding of the individual elements that made Confrey's playing unique. Whether as pianist or digital editor, with this CD, Wodehouse has done more for Confrey's music than has anyone before her. The results are well worth hearing.
Ragtime Bolling & Boogie
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Ragtime Bolling & Boogie

    Manufacturer: Fremeaux & Assoc. Fr
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
    Swing GeneralSwing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
    Classic Big BandClassic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
    Contemporary Big BandContemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
    Vocal Jazz GeneralVocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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    ASIN: B0001XPXGW
    Release Date: 2004-07-20

    Tracks:

    1. Modernistic Rag
    2. Scott Joplin New Rag
    3. Country Club
    4. Gladiolus Rag
    5. My Pet
    6. In a Mist
    7. Carolina Shout
    8. Chantecler Rag
    9. Jazz Master
    10. Pastime Rag 1
    11. Pastime Rag 2
    12. Pastime Rag, No. 3
    13. Louisiana Glide
    14. Triplets Bass Boogie
    15. 3/4 6/8 Boogie
    16. Just Jokin'
    17. Sweet Georgia Brown
    18. Daylight Delight Boogie
    19. S.F.P. Boogie
    Taxi
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • A devoted Fan of Mimi's
    		 Taxi

    Manufacturer: Port Royal Records
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
    Similar Items:
    1. Old Rags New Rags
    2. Once Upon a Rag Time
    3. Sunday Morning

    ASIN: B00001SVR5
    Release Date: 2004-09-07

    Tracks:

    1. Taxi Rag
    2. Remember 'The Sting'
    3. The Music Box Rag
    4. Memories Of You
    5. Kitchen Tom
    6. Ma Douce Amie
    7. Valse Miroir
    8. Paraphrase Sur - On Black & White Rag
    9. On My Way Back To Montreal - I Got The Blues For Memphis Blues
    10. Dizzy Fingers
    11. A Musical Massacre
    12. Mimi - Ma Biche
    13. The Cats - The Black Cat Blues
    14. The Baltimore Todolo
    15. Piaf (To Her Memory)
    16. Maple Leaf 'Ragadeus'

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars A devoted Fan of Mimi's.......2000-09-28

    I have heard Mimi in person (a real treat) many times at the Sedalia, MO Joplin Festival and already own many of her recordings including this one which is even better than her others. I can't say too much in praise of her talent, her creativity and her absolute skill and ability to throughly entertain with anything or any type of music she plays. She is fantastically clever at sneaking in bits of "classical" themes right in the middle of something Ragtime. She has a wonderful sense of humor and a caring personality that will let her make time to answer kids' questions about how she can "remember so many notes to play". I can't imagine ANYONE who would not THOROUGHLY ENJOY this recording.

    Music Review:

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    2. Der Bote
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