Product Description

There have been countless Scott Joplin CDs released. However, this CD has been meticulously converted from his original piano rolls, recorded digitally and restored with absolute brilliance and tasteful revival. Some of his works have been recorded hundreds of times and arranged for practically every conceivable instrumental combination, played by everything from symphony orchestras to ice cream trucks.

Track Listing

1. The Entertainer
2. Maple Leaf Rag
3. Original Rags
4. Pleasant Moments
5. Shoptime Rag
6. The Chrysanthemum
7. Heliotrope Bouquet
8. Wall Street Rag
9. The Ragtime Dance
10. The Cascades
11. Solace
12. Bethena
13. The Easy Winners
14. Weeping Willow
15. Pine Apple Rag
16. Fig Leaf Rag
17. Scott Joplin s New Rag
18. Sugar Cane
19. The Strenuous Life
20. Felicity Rag

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #111173 in Music
• Released on: 2007-07-31
• Number of discs: 1

Review
Scott Joplin was the King of Ragtime Writers, a composer who elevated banjo piano playing, a lowly entertainment associated with saloons and brothels, into an American art form loved by millions. Born in Texas in either 1867 or 1868, Joplin was raised in Texarkana, the son of a laborer and former slave. As a child, Joplin taught himself piano on an instrument belonging to a white family that granted him access to it, and ultimately studied with a local, German-born teacher who introduced Joplin to classical music. Joplin attended high school in Sedalia, MO, a town that would serve as Joplin s home base during his most prosperous years, and where a museum now bears his name. Joplin went on to write successful pieces through the turn of the century, touring his original operas, studying music and solidifying his role in the evolution of ragtime music. --allmusic.com

Customer Reviews

Stiff
When Scott Joplin recorded in piano rolls he gave a "live quality" to his interpretation. It's the same live quality that you hear some (usually classical) MIDI files have, that means that someone actually played the tune in a keyboard, even though the output was only information about the time, pitch and volume of each note that had to be processed. As opposed to that, one can only program complete scores in music notation which many suited software will turn into interpretations. However, the computer gives the exact same duration to everynote, making this kind of MIDI dull. From what I read in the booklet, this is the way in which this CD was made, and at times it certainly gets pretty dull.
The piano sound is alright, I don't quite like it. I think it needs a little reverb to emulate an actual interpretation on a piano. Both the limpid results of straight MIDI to CD and the illusion of an actual piano coudl've been combined in order to achieve better results.
The songs are very good, I coudln't comment about the selection as I am not very famliar with Scott Joplin's ouvre. Another nice detail is the price.
Anyway, if you hear the samples online and you enjoy it like that chances are that you're gonna like this CD.