Elite Jazz [Import]

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
Import exclusive compilation features 80 tracks from such artists as Louis Armstrong, Lena Horne, Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Louis Prima, Patti Page, Erroll Garner, Nina Simone, Dinah Washington, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Nat King Cole, & many more. Five standard jewel cases housed in a slipcase. Rajon. 2003.

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"

Rags to Riches: The Essential Hits of Scott Joplin

Average customer rating:

What the heck???
More Than Excellent

Rags to Riches: The Essential Hits of Scott Joplin

Manufacturer: Compendia
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Complete Piano Music of Scott Joplin
The Greatest Ragtime of the Century
The Sting: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Scott Joplin: Piano Rags
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

Scott Joplin: His Complete Works

Manufacturer: Bescol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Complete Piano Music of Scott Joplin
King of the Ragtime Writers
Entertainer: Classic Ragtime from Rare Piano Rolls
Joplin: Treemonisha
Joplin: Piano Rags

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.

Tracks:

The Entertainer
The Heliotroppe Bouquet
Eugenia
A Concert Waltz
The Pine Apple Rag
The Weeping Willow
The Sunflower Slow Drag
A Mexican Serenade
Elite Syncopations
The Chrysanthemum
The Maple Leaf Rag

Customer Reviews:

Classical, not Ragtime.......2004-10-17

De Chiaro's obviously a classically-trained guitarist, as the renditions here are very crisp and precise without a hint of soul. Classical musicians rarely succeed when trying to play jazz or folk; you can't notate the "feel" so they tend to not have any. De Chiaro is technically flawless here, but in so doing he makes Joplin's music curiously dry and academic.

The beauty of Joplin's music is the gentle alternation between blues and Chopinesque virtuosity. In De Chiaro's hands these rags sound like Bagatelles unfortunately removed from their wistful origins. It's pleasant enough, in a Segovia-like way but not what I was hoping for. Dave Laibman and Stefan Grossman have both done better -- though not nearly enough.

Excellent.......2001-01-06

I was fortunate enough to hear Giovanni de Chiaro in person when he came to French Camp, MS, two or three years ago. He is superb - I'd say almost, if not as good as, Christopher Parkening. His fingering is lightning-fast, and he captures the proper Joplin Scott spirit. A must-have for any music fan.

Absolutely Brilliant!.......2000-12-06

Who would have thought anyone could arrange Joplin for guitar? It sounds as if Joplin wrote for the guitar, Giovanni de Chiaro has done a fantastic job in his arrangements on this CD! I have heard he did all of Joplin's works and that this will soon appear on CD, so I am waiting for that.

Check this one out in the meantime.

-JZ

Stellar.......2000-06-07

This CD, as well as all of De Chiaro's works, transport one, musically & emotionally.Where words leave off, his music begins.His transcriptions of Joplin's works are available. The artist can be contacted at The University of Southern Mississipi School of Music, Box 5081, Hattiesburg, Mississipi 39406-5081, PH:601-266-5401,FAX:601-266-6185.

Sounds great.......2000-05-07

He briefly describes that Joplin took inspiration from Sousa marches and local mandolin choirs. This guy really starts hot-rodding it on some of these songs. He can play fast and when you combine that with Scott Joplin's songs you get a real lift with a relaxing feeling. Never mind that it was a breakthrough to play a band's worth of parts on the piano, this guy puts it on the guitar! I hope someone will transcribe it to a book so the rest of us can be thouroghly humbled.

Average customer rating:

The Very Best at a Reasonable Price

Hits of the 30's & 40's, Vol. 1 & 2
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Prestige Elite
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sentimental Journey
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ASIN: B0000589NZ
Release Date: 2001-06-26

Tracks:

You're Driving Me Crazy - Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians
Minnie the Moocher - Cab Calloway & His Orchestra
Dinah - Bing Crosby, The Mills Brothers
All of Me - Louis Armstrong
Night and Day - Fred Astaire
Very Thought of You - Ray Noble & His Orchestra
Tiger Rag - The Mills Brothers
Music Goes 'Round and Around - Tommy Dorsey & the Clambake Seven
Goody Goody - Benny Goodman & His Orchestra
It's a Sin to Tell a Lie - Fats Waller & His Rhythm
Fine Romance - Fred Astaire
Marie - Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra
Sweet Leilani - Bing Crosby
Carelessly - Billie Holiday
Bei Mir Bist du Sch The Andrews Sisters
Don't Be That Way - Benny Goodman & His Orchestra
I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart - Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
A-Tisket, A-Tasket - Ella Fitzgerald
My Reverie - Larry Clinton & His Orchestra
Stairway to the Stars - Glenn Miller & His Orchestra

Tracks:

Please - Bing Crosby
Indian Love Call - Nelson Eddy, Jeanette MacDonald
Begin the Beguine - Artie Shaw & His Orchestra
Boogie Woogie - Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra
I Can't Get Started - Bunny Berigan
Jalouise - Boston Pops Orchestra, Arthur Fiedler
Thanks for the Memory - Bob Hope, Shirley Ross
Donkey Serenade - Allan Jones
Two Sleepy People - Fats Waller
And the Angels Sing - Benny Goodman & His Orchestra
Ciribiribin (They're So in Love) - Harry James & His Orchestra
Falling in Love Again - Marlene Dietrich
If I Didn't Care - The Ink Spots
I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now - Ted Weems & His Orchestra
Jumpin' Jive - Cab Calloway & His Orchestra
Lili Marlene - Lale Anderson
Little Brown Jug - Glenn Miller
Over the Rainbow - E.Y. "Yip" Harburg
Woodchopper's Ball - Woody Herman & His Orchestra
They Say - Artie Shaw & His Orchestra

Tracks:

In the Mood - Glenn Miller & His Orchestra
Frenesi - Artie Shaw & His Orchestra
I'll Never Smile Again - Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra
We Three (My Echo, My Shadow and Me) - The Ink Spots
Amapola - Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra
Piano Concerto in B Flat - Freddy Martin & His Orchestra
String of Pearls - Glenn Miller & His Orchestra
White Christmas - Bing Crosby
Tangerine - Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra
I've Heard That Song Before - Harry James & His Orchestra
(I've Got a Gal In) Kalamazoo - Glenn Miller & His Orchestra
All or Nothing at All - Frank Sinatra
Paper Doll - The Mills Brothers
You'll Never Know - Glenn Miller & His Orchestra
Don't Fence Me In - Bing Crosby & His Orchestra
Mairzy Doats - The Merry Macs
Candy - Johnny Mercer
Till the End of Time - Perry Como
There! I've Said It Again - Vaughn Monroe & His Orchestra
Rum and Coca-Cola - The Andrews Sisters

Tracks:

Stardust - Artie Shaw & His Orchestra
Tuxedo Junction - Glenn Miller & His Orchestra
Green Eyes - Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra
You Made Me Love You - Harry James & His Orchestra
Cow Cow Boogie - Freddie Slack & His Orchestra
There Are Such Things - Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra, Frank Sinatra
Why Don't You Do Right? - Benny Goodman & His Orchestra
Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall - Ella Fitzgerald, The Ink Spots
Opus One - Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra
You Will Always Hurt the One You Love - The Mills Brothers
On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe - Johnny Mercer
Sentimental Journey - Les Brown & His Orchestra
Tampico - Stan Kenton & His Orchestra
Route 66 - King Cole Trio
MacNamara's Band - Bing Crosby
Ol' Buttermilk Sky - Hoagy Carmichael
Prisoner of Love - Perry Como
Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody - Al Jolson
Gypsy - The Ink Spots
Heartaches - Ted Weems & His Orchestra

Album Details

The Era of Big Band Swing Represented the First Real Instance of Jazz Music, Or Very Close Derivatives of Jazz, Becoming Part of the Mainstream of Popular Music. The Tunes Became Standards of the Time that People Whistled on their Way to Work, the Musicians Became Superstars Mobbed by Fans, and Top Names Like Artie Shaw, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Glenn Miller and Harry James Sold Records by the Millions. Swing, was the Pop of Its Day!

Customer Reviews:

The Very Best at a Reasonable Price.......2005-04-26

This 4-disc CD set gives you the very best of 30's and 40's music. Most of the songs included were number 1 hits. They include such classics as Night and Day; Begin the Beguine; Over the Rainbow; Minnie the Moocher; In the Mood; White Christmas; Paper Doll; Stardust; Opus One; Sentimental Journey and many others. All are by the original artists and almost all have high sound quality.

The cost is very reasonable considering that the CD has 80 songs.

Average customer rating:

little disappointed
Dick Hyman has captored the essence of Scott Joplin...

Scott Joplin: Piano Works, 1899-1904
Dick Hyman , and Charles N. Joplin Scott and Daniels
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Dick Hyman Plays Fats Waller
Scott Joplin: Piano Rags
Live at Maybeck Recital Hall, Vol. 3: Music of 1937
From the Age of Swing

ASIN: B000003ESR
Release Date: 1989-11-03

Tracks:

Maple Leaf Rag
Original Rags
Swipesy
Peacherine Rag
The Easy Winners
Sunflower Slow Drag
The Entertainer
Elite Syncopations
The Strenuous Life
A Breeze From Alabama
Palm Leaf Rag
Something Doing
Weeping Willow
The Chrysanthemum
The Cascades
The Sycamore

Customer Reviews:

little disappointed.......2001-11-14

Don't get me wrong. Dick Hyman is really great in what he's doing. The pieces are brilliantly performed. But it's not my taste. He's playing 100s of staccatos where Scott Joplin never wrote a point on his sheets thus taking the drive off the songs. Songs and parts of songs that should sound strong just sound way too "dolce". All in all the whole cd is too soft and too slow. Yes, Scott Joplin said never play Ragtime too fast. But songs like the Entertainer or Elite Syncopations should in my opinion be played "faster" to have a drive. I used to play the songs myself. It's just more fun when you play them faster and louder - with more energy.

This cd is for you when you like quiet and mellow music and like to drink tea while listening to it.
If you like barrelhouse music - what ragtime is supposed to be - then buy another cd like "the Sting" soundtrack or Scott Joplin played by Richard Zimmerman.

Dick Hyman has captored the essence of Scott Joplin..........2000-10-13

Jazz arranger and stride pianist Dick Hyman has captured the essence of Scott Joplin, playing such classics as "Maple Leaf Rag" and "The Entertainer," as well as many lesser known but still highly enjoyable tunes. Just like Joplin would say never play a rag too fast, Hyman plays at the perfect tempo, never too fast. Hyman proves not only to be a fine stride painist but a superb ragtime painist. Although there is no improvisation here, ragtime is completely written out, there is plenty of syncopation and joyous sounds here to keep the jazz collector happy. this CD is highly recomended as a great introduction to the music of Scott Joplin and the playing of Dick Hyman.

Tracks:

Maple Leaf Rag
Original Rags
The Favorite
The Easy Winners
Peacherine Rag
The Entertainer
The Strenuous Life
Elite Syncopations
A Breeze From Alabama
Palm Leaf Rag
Weeping Willow
The Cascades
The Sycamore
The Chrysanthemum
Leola
Eugenia

Tracks:

The Ragtime Dance
Nonpareil
Reflection Rag
Gladiolus Rag
Searchlight Rag
Rose Leaf Rag
Pine Apple Rag
Fig Leaf Rag
Sugar Cane
Country Club
Paragon Rag
Wall Street Rag
Euphonic Sounds
Solace
Stoptime
Scott Joplin's New Rag
Silver Swan Rag
Magnetic Rag

Amazon.com

This two-disc set is billed as Joplin's "complete rags," which isn't quite true--there are several more in William Albright's Joplin: Marches, Waltzes & Rags. But there are 34 rags in this set, most of them essential bits of Americana. I had been partial to a Joplin set by Richard Zimmerman, which was very stylishly played. But Albright's playing is just as stylish and he's much better recorded on a much better piano, which this music deserves. Two CDs of Joplin rags might be a bit much for some people, who might be better served with Bolcom (Omega OCD 3001) or Arpin (Pro Arte CDD 397). But for real Joplin lovers, this set is a treat all the way through. --Leslie Gerber

The Elite Syncopations: Classic Ragtime from Rare Piano Rolls

Average customer rating:

Exposes the real ragtime

The Elite Syncopations: Classic Ragtime from Rare Piano Rolls

Manufacturer: Shout Factory
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Ragtime | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music
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Entertainer: Classic Ragtime from Rare Piano Rolls
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ASIN: B00009PJSO
Release Date: 2003-06-10

Tracks:

Maple Leaf Rag
Ole Miss Rag
Magnetic Rag
Elite Syncopations
Country Club
Paragon Rag
Eugenia
Cleopha
A Real Slow Drag
Scott Joplin's New Rag
Leola - Two Step
Lily Queen
The Chrysanthemum
Heliotrope Bouquet
Reflection Rag
Silver Swan Rag, Ragtime Two-Step

Customer Reviews:

Exposes the real ragtime.......2006-11-03

I think we have a tendency to play older music to match the expectations of our modern ear. This can bring new views and fresh insights, but it can also lose the original vision of the composer. I enjoy the massive orchestrations played on modern instruments, but I also value the original orchestrations played on period instruments. This disk is an example of the latter. W. C. Handy is one of the greats of the era and here he plays the masterpieces of his time in the style of the time. The clean (re-)recording brings out new emphasis and subtleties that I hadn't heard in modern performances. Eugenia is a lovely piece as is Cleopha. A Real Slow Rag starts out almost in a tango mood. Scott Joplin's New Rag picks up the pace. And there's the continuous thrill of "hearing" W. C. Handy play for us. I keep coming back to this disk for a refreshing look back to the American music of a century ago.

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

Super Hits: Scott Joplin

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Ragtime | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Complete Piano Music of Scott Joplin
The Biggs Bach Book
King of the Ragtime Writers
The Greatest Ragtime of the Century
The Sting: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

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.

Tracks:

Life Is Beautiful
Send in the Clowns
Evergreen
Nobody But You
Forgetting Someone
Only Thing That Matters
I'll Never Sing Another Song
Hey Hey Jesus
I Don't Like Singing Anymore
Sunday Morning Coming Down
It's Gonna Happen
Nan
End of Session Blues

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