Customer Reviews

Plays Joplin

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4 star:		(2)
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This CD contains the most famous rags written by S. Joplin (including of course "The Entertainer", which became very famous as part of the soundtrack for the movie "The Sting"). All the pieces have been beautifully arranged for flute (or piccolo) and piano, with brass and percussion accompaniment. The result is really wonderful. All the players are skilled musicians (especially J.P. Rampal and J.S. Ritter) and play this pieces in a very funny style that will make you listen to this recording many many times. If you don't know this music yet, you won't regret buying this CD, and if you know the pieces I think that this arrangement is very worth considering. Very recommended.

Most every fan of Scott Joplin's music knows that ragtime should not be played too fast. Joplin himself even gave this direction in every rag he wrote in the seconmd half of his career. However, I personally have always been one to like everything on the fast side (not just ragtime but in general). So when I popped in this CD and started listening, I was amazed that many of the pieces were too fast even for my taste, escecially 'Cleopha'. That matter aside, this is a wonderful CD. It's a fresh and exiting take on Joplin's great music, and Mr. Rampal plays flawlessly as always. The arrangements are great, with a nice selection of various instruments: Flute/piccolo, piano/honkey-tonk/'fortepiano'/harpsichord(!), a slew of percussion, and a tuba. There's even a train whistle for 'The Great Crush Collision'. And best of all, the extra instuments only add to the piece -- they never take away from the main melody. So overall, I recommend this CD as a great alternate collection of Joplin's works. Not the best for introduction, but unless you couldn't stand to hear these pieces on the fast side, I recommend it for any Joplin fan's collection.

This CD is amazing. I am a flute player myself, and there is no way that i could ever even dream of playing the works of Scott Joplin with such fluidity and control. Kudos also go out to J.S. Ritter, the piano player on this recording, because even for piano, these pieces are no easy task. I grew up listening to my dad, an experienced pianist, struggle through some of the pieces on this recording, and Ritter shows no sign of trouble. I guess maybe it is expected that Ritter be able to play so well, but he still deserves much respect and admiration. There is no real standout track on the album, which in this case is fine, because it shows that Joplin was more than a one-hit-wonder with "The Entertainer". I could go into more about the technical reasons why each and every musician is magnificent on this recording, but just take my word for it that they are all equally incredible. Buy this CD at any cost! You will not regret it.

Ah ... the music we neglect because we associate "cultured music" with Europe rather than appreciating our own (in this case) boistrous style. While I would recommend Joplin's own instrumentation of this music as your initial purchase, these arrangements are excellent - never distorting the original music. And the performances are excellent - the use of classical musicians giving the music the grace and dignity it deserves. Put more succintly, this cd respects Joplin's work.

The selections provide sufficient variety to keep you listening even for the "old war horses" of Maple Leaf Rag, The Entertainer and Elite Syncopations. And even "corny" touches as the train whistle in the Great Cruch Collison March work.

If this cd doesn't pep you up on a hot summer day, see your doctor ...

Scott Joplin not the usual for flute, but this is worth having. It's a nice change of pace, and occasionally the pace is impressive.