Customer Reviews

Free Rambles Dished Up

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When I was employed as a "music expert" (a job I talked my way into) at a local record shop, there were a few CDs that I would energetically promote because I believed that they were fine recordings that customers would enjoy playing again and again. One such CD was this collection of piano arrangements by the great Percy Grainger magnificently performed by Janine Sowden.

The trick I used to sell this item was to hide the CD case and play track 9, Grainger's piano arrangement of Tchaikowsky's popular "Waltz of the Flowers" from the "Nutcracker Suite." I'd then ask a customer how many pianists were playing at once and offer my assurance that no overdubbing or recording gimmickry was used. Next, I'd offer to make a wager that if the customer could correctly state how many pianists were performing the piece, he or she would win the CD for free. I'd say this in a loud enough voice so that any other customers present in the room could hear the challenge.

You know about opinions, don't you? Everyone has one, and no one could resist showing off their auditory prowess. They also wanted the free CD, which put me on the spot, as I'd have been fired had I started giving merchandise away. I was not worried, though, because (a.) I had phrased the question as "How many?" which threw everyone off, and (b.) Grainger wrote the piece with the effect that it really does sound like multiple pianists.

In fact, I never gave away a CD. Most people guessed three pianists were playing, but others guessed as many as four. I've heard other recordings of this piece, but no one can quite perform the music so as to create this illusion as well as Janine Sowden. It really does does sound like 3 or 4 pianists playing the piece.

So you could buy this CD to play as a party trick and fool guests, but there is a great variety of fine music -- 78 minutes worth -- on this flawless CD. Women are particularly taken with the wistful arrangements of Gershwin songs that make perfect listening for quiet evenings.

Another reason that this album sold well was that it's mid-priced, so you get more music, better playing, and you pay less.

Think of all the CDs you purchased, then put in the pile and seldom played. That won't happen with this beauty. It'll be one of your favorites, too.