Mel Bay Presents Complete Works of Scott Joplin: 52 Piano Rags, Waltzes & Marches Transcribed for Guitar Solo (Editiones Classicae) (Paperback)

by Giovanni De Chiaro (Author)
Key Phrases: Scott Joplin, Giovanni De Chiaro, Slow March Tempo

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The piano rag is musical form unlike any other. Although melodious, ragtime's excitement and appeal derives from its syncopated rhythms. Ragtime music achieved notoriety through its greatest composer, Scott Joplin (1868-1917). At an early age he studied with an old German musician who introduced him to the piano and music theory. While still in his early teens he earned his way playing piano in the honky-tonks of villages and towns in the Mississippi Valley. He was intrigued with the folk music of his people and the "jig piano" style of the self-taught pianists with whom he worked. Take a musical journey through Scott Joplin's prolific career and perform these time-honored ragtime piano pieces as they are transcribed here for solo guitar. Written in standard notation only with fingerings and historical/ performance notes.

About the Author
American classical guitarist Giovanni de Chiaro made his New York debut in 1976 in a Carnegie Hall performance which brought a rave notice from the New York Times and launched a career of growing distinction. He has concertized throughout the United States, Mexico and Europe and has performed for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican in Rome. He was invited to perform for President Clinton at a special Christmas function at the White House. His recordings include his arrangements of Christmas carols, Broadway classics, and the complete works of Scott Joplin. In 1989, Mr. De Chirao received a commission from NASA to compose an original guitar composition for the Space Shuttle program. The editors of the prestigious national journal Musical America named Giovanni de Chiaro as one of the magazine's "Young Artists of the Year" in 1982. He is a contributing editor to guitar magazines published in both the United States and abroad. Giovanni has recorded two nationally televised special programs for the PBS network. Both of these programs received Gold Awards and top honors at several film festivals. His many recordings can be heard throughout the United States on National Public Radio. De Chiao is currently the professor of guitar at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Mel Bay Publications, Inc. (February 27, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786632798
• ISBN-13: 978-0786632794
• Product Dimensions: 11.7 x 8.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #145,808 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Complete Works of Scott Joplin, November 25, 2002

By	L. H. Mweene (Mesquite, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This is an excellent book if you want to play Scott Joplin on guitar. There is no tab in the book so you need to know how to read standard music notation to learn the pieces. An added bonus is that Prof. de Chiaro has recorded all the pieces in the book on a set of 4 CDs from Centaur Records, so you can use the CDs to help you to learn to play the pieces. I am currently learning "Maple Leaf Rag" from the book and I am very happy with the results (after previously trying other, inferior transcriptions). Unreservedly recommended!

3.0 out of 5 stars Halfway There..., April 13, 2007

By	E. Patterson "ep83" (CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

De Chiaro is to be admired for his gumption to transcribe so many of Scott Joplin's works for the guitar. The introduction given to each piece -- placing them in the historical / emotional context of Joplin's life -- is priceless, as tools for creating your own informed interpretation of the music. And its excellent sight reading practice for those of us who've mostly learned Blind Blake & Gary Davis tunes in tablature.

So I have two chief complaints about this extensive collection: 1) Damn near every transcription is in G. and 2) The approach is a little too bland for my tastes. De Chiaro gets what lots of performers don't about Joplin's rags, so there's a lot of "not too fast" tempo notations at the beginning of the pieces. But speed restraints don't mean the rag can't swing, and its a real task to get bass notes to thump & grind on nylon strings. So if you're a guitarist interested in studying ragtime, the De Chairo's book / recordings are excellent starting resources to get the theory behind Joplin's sense of harmony & melody, but also enrich your ears & mind with old piedmont blues artists, early New Orleans jazz pianists, and the Crumb soundtrack (with David Boeddinghaus and Craig Ventresco). You could even study Bach for the similar counterpoint ideas -- whatever helps you learn. Chances are you'll start swingin' those eighth-notes, push the voice & range of your guitar, get a better sense of ragtime rubato, and in general, become more confident with your performances and improvisations on Scott Joplin's indelible masterpieces.