Scott Joplin

[camper]

You know what I like about serious music?
It isnt that serious... but I love the way rag is properly played slow here.
Your local piano bar will butcher SJ every time.

[OperaTenor]

Oh goodie! Another Scott Joplin fan!

I knew there was something I liked about you, Camper!

[Trumpetmaster]

camper,
I agree with you, but it's not just the local piano bars that are guilty of playing Joplin too fast.

We have a number of Scott Joplin arrangements for our brass ensemble and always make sure the tempo is "Not Rushed".

TM

[FlyingSorcery]

Another Joplin fan here. I'm looking for some good recordings -- any suggestions?

FS

[OperaTenor]

Oh yes!

My personal favorite is an album called The Red Back Book. I have it, and an accompnaying album called Palm Leaf Rag on vinyl. I searched for both on CD, and found The Red Back Book compiled with another recording called Elite Syncopations. Palm Leaf Rag, however, doesn't seem to have made in to CD, unfortunately. I sent B.com a copy of TRBB, so if you want to hear how it sounds, ask them to play something form the first half of it(ES is the second half - almost as good, IMNSHO). Bethena or The Ragtime Dance are fairly representative, IMO.

The cool bit about TRBB is that the selections are instrumental arrangements of Joplin's rags done by Joplin himself. They were originally published in a volume by the same name. I find them to be voiced very well, as to capture the mood of the piano rags themselves.

<small>[ 03-17-2005, 05:26 PM: Message edited by: OperaTenor ]</small>

[Trumpetmaster]

OT,
Thanks for the info on Joplin!
TM

[camper]

Originally posted by FlyingSorcery:
Another Joplin fan here. I'm looking for some good recordings -- any suggestions?

FS

I have never had any recording of Scott Joplin other that the LPs I picked up in the 70s by Joshua Rifkin. I have the CDs now.

[FlyingSorcery]

Originally posted by OperaTenor:
My personal favorite is an album called The Red Back Book.

I believe HRH has played pieces from the Red Back Book. I have a gift certificate from Amazon and Borders, so I think I'll go shopping. Thanks

[FlyingSorcery]

And Camper, I'll be looking up Joshua Rifkin, too. Thanks.

FS

[OperaTenor]

Hi FS,

Glad to hear my gift to B.com is getting some use!

[GeoLes]

I love Joplin music. It bridges the gap between "classic" clasical music and jazz, much the way Gershwin did. I see a lot of good stuff posted here. I love this forum. You guys and gals are okay!

[OperaTenor]

Yes, we are. I'll go so far as to claim Ragtime, in its purest form, to be a form of American classical music. It follows all of the rules, and should therefore qualify.