Track Listing

1. Cascades - Scott Joplin, New England Conservatory Ragtime Ensemble
2. Sunflower Slow Drag - Scott Joplin, New England Conservatory Ragtime Ensemble
3. Chrysanthemum - Scott Joplin, New England Conservatory Ragtime Ensemble
4. Ragtime Dance - Scott Joplin, New England Conservatory Ragtime Ensemble
5. Sugar Cane - Scott Joplin, New England Conservatory Ragtime Ensemble
6. Easy Winners - Scott Joplin, New England Conservatory Ragtime Ensemble
7. Entertainer - Scott Joplin, New England Conservatory Ragtime Ensemble
8. Maple Leaf Rag - Scott Joplin, New England Conservatory Ragtime Ensemble
9. Elite Syncopations - Southland Singers
10. Heliotrope Bouquet - Southland Singers
11. Nonpareil - Southland Singers
12. Strenuous Life - Southland Singers
13. Bink's Waltz - Southland Singers
14. Sycamore - Southland Singers
15. Eugenia - Southland Singers
16. Something Doing - Southland Singers

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #78875 in Music
• Released on: 1990-10-25
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

A must for anyone who apreciates Ragtime
Anyone who apreciates the Ragtime music of Scott Joplin should own a copy of the New England Conservatory Ragtime Ensemble. I grew up listening to an old cassette recording of the Ensemble and was so excited to find that a CD was still available. It is wonderful and exciting to hear Ragtime played by an entire enseble of instuments, rather than just a piano. Once again, a must for any lover of Ragtime.

Some wonderful pieces in this collection
Two words..."Bink's Waltz" worth the price of admission here. While an entire CD of these songs begins to feel strident, this music is very evocative--a brave wash of gaiety over sadness. A good addition to any collection of "American" music. Hope the Ragtime Conservatory records more. J. Makil

Not your usual Joplin
Here is music by the most prominent American ragtime composer, Scott Joplin, performed in a manner (11-12 instruments) slightly different from the usual (solo piano). The program contains 60 minutes of the familiar (and, in a couple instances, the unfamiliar) Joplin music that became popular at the turn of the 20th century, then fell into oblivion, and had a revival in the early 1970s.

This cd brings together two lps released by EMI/Angel during that '70s revival: "Red Back Book" containing 8 selections performed by students from the New England Conservatory conducted by Gunther Schuller; and "Elite Syncopations", which includes 8 pieces featuring pianist Ralph Grierson with the Southland Stingers.

All of the music is well performed and recorded. This listener especially likes track 6 ("Easy Winners") because of the numerous solos and track 13 ("Bink's Waltz") because, as a waltz, it is a nice departure
from the rag format and also because it was unfamiliar.

Although I think it is sad that Scott Joplin died at the age of 48 with his musical goals not totally achieved, his toe tapping music lives on and never fails to cheer me up.
Tim Koerner July 2008