Ragtime Music

I heard this CD on National Public Radio, and had to stop the car to write down the guitarist's name! I bought volume 3, loved it, and immediately bought the other two. Giovanni De Chiaro, a superb guitarist, knows his composer and brings out all the intense feelings and sweetness of Joplin's ragtime.... I highly recommend it. I appreciated, too, the record company's detailed description and history of every song.

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.

Also try Dick Hyman's tribute CD to Fats Waller. And if you like Ragtime don't miss out on the incredible Paragon Ragtime Orchestra which re-creates bands like Arthur Pryor's Orchestra from the ragtime era.

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.

These are fabulous recordings of Percy Grainger's works for piano and I would recommend this to anyone interested in Grainger. The 5 cds are offered at an excellent value and well worth the money spent.

A super budget 5 CD collection of all of Grainger's Piano music.
Every last note!
The shipping alone would be $17.00+ for the 5 individual Cds.
Englishman Martin Jones plays these as if he wrote them. He is thoroughly inside this music.
I think his best work to date.
He is joined on CD #5 by Richard Mcmahon and Phillip Martin. Where they rollick in various combos and trios on 1, 2 and 3 pianos. This is exhilerating. Especially on an truly uplifting version of Green Bushes.
The entire set is strongly idiomatic and given a clear, crisp, warm and spacious recording. FIRST CLASS sound.
There are too many highlights to single out, but the In A Nutshell Suite and Green Bushes are especially GOOD!
There is not a bad note or "vibe" on any of these CDs.
Highly recommended for Granger fans and fans of English Piano Music.

Wonderful selection of classic singers and songs. Special favorites are Ethel Merman and Barbara Cook.

This is great. Anything with Ethel, Bernadette, Barbara (both of them), Mary, and Marin is beyond words. Any one of them by themselves is awesome but these ladies together are mind blowing. All of the women sound amazing but they made a mistake on the list of songs and composers. "Raise the Roof" sung by Julia Murney (I love her)was written by Andrew Lippa, not LaChusia.

The divas are indeed divine, but the choice of music sung left me wondering why, with so many other great music selection contenders.

OK, so it sounds crazy to review an album with Ethel Merman and Bernadette Peters on it and not mention them. But...tough. I've read enough about them to know how good they are.


Buy this album as a token of love to the producer who had the cajones to put Julia Murney on an album celebrating the last 100 years of Broadway divas.

Because SHE is one of the greatest voices of the decade!