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Piano Rags

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4.7 out of 5

272 global ratings

5 star		86%
4 star		6%
3 star		6%
2 star 0% (0%)		0%
1 star		2%

Piano Rags

byRifkin

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The BEST Scott Joplin Piano Rags recording

Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2018

I had this on vinyl -- somebody stole it. I had it on tape cassette -- the car stereo ate it. I have (had) it on CD -- a friend borrowed it and won't look me in the eye when I ask for it back. Now I have it on MP3. Everything composed in Scott Joplin's day was European, whether by an Italian, German, American, etc. Then along comes this serious, talented black guy who produces this amazing, original AMERICAN music! Its origins weren't pretty, drifting as it did out of the whorehouses along the Mississippi river -- similar to tango which made its way out of the whorehouses of Buenos Aires. Man, does ragtime swing! Soon it would disappear into jazz. I first heard 'Maple Leaf Rag' played at lightning speed on a Columbia compilation called 'I Like Jazz' back in the 1950s. When I heard Joshua Rifkin's record 20 years later I bought it immediately and have had it in my collection, one way of another, for nearly 50 years. Rifkin's recordings are my personal Gold Standard, his performances are the ones I measure all others against. Among my all time favorite rags on this album are 'Maple Leaf', 'The Entertainer', 'Gladiolus', 'Elite', and 'Magnetic'.

9 people found this helpful

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Tommaso A. Vannelli

Unplayable

Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2020

The disk had visible scratches that made it unplayable.

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From the United States

The BEST Scott Joplin Piano Rags recording

Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2018

Verified Purchase

I had this on vinyl -- somebody stole it. I had it on tape cassette -- the car stereo ate it. I have (had) it on CD -- a friend borrowed it and won't look me in the eye when I ask for it back. Now I have it on MP3. Everything composed in Scott Joplin's day was European, whether by an Italian, German, American, etc. Then along comes this serious, talented black guy who produces this amazing, original AMERICAN music! Its origins weren't pretty, drifting as it did out of the whorehouses along the Mississippi river -- similar to tango which made its way out of the whorehouses of Buenos Aires. Man, does ragtime swing! Soon it would disappear into jazz. I first heard 'Maple Leaf Rag' played at lightning speed on a Columbia compilation called 'I Like Jazz' back in the 1950s. When I heard Joshua Rifkin's record 20 years later I bought it immediately and have had it in my collection, one way of another, for nearly 50 years. Rifkin's recordings are my personal Gold Standard, his performances are the ones I measure all others against. Among my all time favorite rags on this album are 'Maple Leaf', 'The Entertainer', 'Gladiolus', 'Elite', and 'Magnetic'.

9 people found this helpful

Rifkin's Joplin Revival Recordings the Definitive Interpretations at the Dawn of the Ragtime Revival

Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2014

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Published in 1899, Maple Leaf Rag was the first million-selling piece of sheet music in the United States, the first "hit" in the modern sense. The Entertainer was released not long after at the very end of 1902, and I guess also had popularity, but may have not quite surpassed the popularity of Maple Leaf Rag. Joplin was a celebrity for a time during an era where segregation and Jim Crow Laws were the norm and not the exception in the United States. Unfortunately, racism caught up with Joplin despite his popularity. He attempted to produce his opera Treemonisha, which dealt directly with the importance of education of minorities, particularly for those of the African-American community. The White establishment was outraged that a black man would dare produce in a musical genre of European origin, in this case opera. Joplin died in 1917 without every realizing his dream of seeing his opera produced on stage.

From circa 1920 to 1970, most Ragtime music was all but forgotten, its syncopated sensibilities were categorized as dated. Then circa 1970, an unforeseen revival of Ragtime music occurred, and the present recordings by Joshua Rifkin were at the forefront of renewed interest in Joplin. The Joshua Rifkin recordings of Joplin, which were produced slightly before the release of the Sting starring Robert Redford and Paul Newman (which used much of Joplin's music), are still the best of the Joplin recordings. They don't sound like they were recorded in a studio but in a dance hall with a slight echo which is where these pieces would have been performed circa 1900. Rifkin's interpretation of Maple Leaf Rag and the Entertainer are the ones by which all others are judged. I've heard a number of recordings of Joplin's music made since this recording, and some are certainly fine. However, Rifkin's still stands just above the fray. Rifkind finds that delicate balance between rhythm and melodic contour, emphasizing the synopations but never sounding choppy, always smooth and melodic. Still my favorite will always be Rifkin's performance of the Entertainer, where he finds that delicate balance between joy and melancholy in a piece which captures an era like no other. There is something both happy and melancholy about a person whose life is dedicated to entertain others.

12 people found this helpful

I was very pleased that it contains a few bonus tracks from volumes two and three

Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2016

Verified Purchase

When I was looking to purchase Volume 1 (the green album), I was deciding whether to purchase the vinyl or the CD version. I was happy that I had purchased the CD because it contains all eight of the songs from volume one plus some tracks from volume two, (the yellow album), (Elite Syncopations, Bethena, Paragon Rag, Solace, Pine Apple Rag) and a few from volume three , (the red album) , (Weeping Willow, The Cascades, Country Club, Stop Time Rag.)
I owned volume two already and I purchased this CD and volume three to complete the set. If you were to purchase only this CD, you will be without the songs Eugenia, Leola, and Rose Leaf Rag from volume two and Original Rags, The Crysanthemum, Sugar Cane, and The Nonpareil from volume three.

5 people found this helpful

darrell worsfold

Joshua Does It Again!

Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2014

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I just received my copy of Scott Joplin Piano Rags by the foremost player of Joplin Rags, Joshua Rifkin. In 1981, my brother Dale and I were shopping at Surrey Place Mall, and he pointed out the audio cassette tapes of Scott Joplin Rags by Joshua Rifkin. I surprised him by buying Volume i and Volume iii for him for Christmas 1981. He was just delighted, and of course went right back and bought Volume ii. We both wound up playing those tapes for hours, and he still has them, and even made copies for an emergency. Now, here we are over 30 years later, and am still just as much into Joshua Rifkin's Joplin rags as ever. I have heard many people play Joplin, but no one comes as close as Joshua rifkin to bringing out the music the way Joplin himself would have played it.The CD is excellent quality, but it doesn't have the complete output of the tapes and records. Missing are Original rags, Eugenia, Leola, The Chrysanthemum, Rose Leaf Rag, Sugar Cane Rag, and The Nonpareil(which unfortunately is my favorite Joplin Rag). However, 17 of the 24 are very much in evidence, from Maple leaf Rag to Magnetic Rag. All excellent, and just the kind of CD you will be listening to for hours. If you like Scott Joplin Rags, this is the CD you'll want to get. I can't recommend this disc highly enough!

6 people found this helpful

Maple Leaf, Fig Leaf, Gladiolus and more

Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2018

Verified Purchase

Fabulous cd for ragtime lovers. I grew up with the album version and started playing ragtime as a youngster. It's wonderful to have this music in cd format now as my album is long gone. Rifkin does it justice..saw him play this music in concert at UT Austin in '83..terrific.

2 people found this helpful

Michael S. Goldfarb

A masterpiece - same as it ever was!

Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2001

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Ever since I first heard Joshua Rifkin's first LP of the Scott Joplin rags (when searching for music to play along with Super 8 silent comedies back in the early 70s), I have been in love with these recordings.
Rifkin's sensitive playing finds a dignity and variety of moods in these rags, waltzes, senerades, dances, etc., that is simply astonishing. This music is the link between romantic classical music and early jazz, and it combines some of the finest elements of both. Having a classicly trained musician perform it (vs. someone from the stride or barrelhouse - much less honkytonk! - school) reveals much of the subtle beauty and invention in these compositions...
Once you've heard this, both the "fingerbreaker" high-speed approach to ragtime that preceded this, and the Hamlisch-ized popularization of this music that came later, fade into insignificance!
And having nearly all of the 3 original LPs on a single CD is fantastic. My ONLY complaint is that the recordings themselves, particularly the first group from 1970, seem somewhat flat and lacking in the rich tone and dynamics that we expect nowadays. No matter, these performances are wonderful. No other recordings of Joplin come close - do yourself a favor and grab this one!

45 people found this helpful

I've always liked this album

Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2016

Verified Purchase

I've always liked this album, but I discovered that when I play it my cat goes right to his basket and takes a snooze. Weird, huh? It's really useful, though, to play it in the car when we're going to the vet. Hardly a mew (however it's spelled) from him any more. He does not seem to have an opinion on any other solo piano music,

5 people found this helpful

Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2020

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As others have said, Joshua Rifkin is the quintessential interpreter of Joplin's amazingly complex and dynamic Ragtime compositions. A wonderful collection of the brilliant composer's music - and quite uplifting in these difficult times.

My favorite Scott Joplin CD

Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2004

Verified Purchase

I own several Scott Joplin CDs and this is by far my favorite. Joshua Rifkin plays Joplin in a straightforward manner, the way it is written, with few embellishments (for the most part), and that's what I like. The other Joplin CDs I have, the pianists play the Maple Leaf Rag and the Entertainer way too fast. In other pieces, they often play it with varied tempos and an octave up on certain passages. I don't like it when pianists take liberties with what is written in the score. Joplin writes in the score that ragtime should never be played fast. Rifkin does it just right! Even though this CD is a little pricier than the others, it is well worth it. Rifkin is an outstanding interpreter and performer of Joplin. If you only want to purchase one CD of Joplin's piano rags, this is the one to get.

47 people found this helpful

Life is Incomplete Without Hearing Joshua Rifkin Perform Scott Joplin's Music

Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2012

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I have enjoyed Joshua Rifkin's performances of Scott Joplins Rags ever since the film "The Sting" hit box offices in the 1970's and brought Scott Joplin's music back to life. Scott Joplin's life is a terribly sad and horribly short story. Despite that, his music brings us JOY. He combines the uniquely American sounds of the Roaring 20's and the Great Depression with the elegant beauty and genius rhythms and counterpoint of Bach, Chopin, Ravel, and Debussy. But if you don't listen to Josh Rifken, you'll never hear the TRUE Scott Joplin---the genius composer and creator of uplifting, romantic, and tender musical moods. ANYONE would love his music as performed by Rifkin. You simply don't know Joplin without Rifken. Rifken may be the reincarnation of the composer--finally having the means to show the world how gorgeous and brilliant his music is.

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