Guido Nielsen: Scott Joplin 4 CD set

[EKE BBB]

Anyone heard this?

Guido Nielsen - Scott Joplin: Complete Rags, Marches, Waltzes & Songs

Track listing

Disc One.

1. Original Rags.

(1899; Carl Hoffman, Kansas City.)

2. Great Crush Collision – March.

(1896; John R. Fuller, Temple, Texas.)

3.Harmony Club Waltz.

(1896; Robert Smith, Temple, Texas)

4.Combination March.

(1896; Robert Smith, Temple, Texas)

5. Maple Leaf Rag

(1899; John Stark, Sedalia)

6. Swipesy Cake Walk.

A. Marshall & S. Joplin

(1900; Stark, St. Louis)

7.Sunflower Slow Drag.

Scott Hayden & Scott Joplin

(1901 John Stark & Son, St. Louis)

8. The Augustan Club Waltzes.

(1901; John Stark & Son, St. Louis)

9. Peacherine Rag.

(1901; John Stark & Son, St. Louis)

10. The Easy Winners.

(1901; Scott Joplin, St. Louis)

11. Cleopha.

(1902; S. Simon, St. Louis)

12. The Strenuous Life.

(1902; John Stark & Son, St. Louis)

13. A Breeze from Alabama.

(1902 John Stark & Son, St. Louis)

14. Elite Syncopations.

(1902; John Stark & Son, St. Louis)

15. The Entertainer.

(1902; John Stark & Son, St. Louis)

16. March Majestic.

(1902; John Stark & Son, St. Louis)

17. Something Doing.

Scott Hadyen & Scott Joplin

18. Weeping Willow.

(1903; Val A. Reis Music Co., St. Louis)

Disc Two.

1. The Cascades.

(1904; John Stark & Son, St. Louis)

2. Palm Leaf Rag.

(1903; Victor Kremer Co., Chicago)

3. The Favorite.

(1904; A. W. Perry & Sons, Sedalia)

4. The Sycamore.

(1904; Will Rossiter, Chicago)

5. The Chrysanthemum.

(1904; John Stark & Son, St. Louis)

6. Bethena.

(1905; T. Bahnsen, St. Louis)

7. The Rose-bud March.

(1905’ John Stark & Son, St. Louis)

8. Leola.

(1905; American Music Syndicate, St. Louis)

9. Binks’ Waltz.

(1905; Bahnsen Music Co., St. Louis)

10. Eugenia.

(1906; Will Rossiter, Chicago)

11. Antoinette.

(1906; Stark, New York & St. Louis)

12. Rag-Time Dance.

(1906; Stark, New York & St. Louis)

13. The Nonpareil.

(1907; Stark, New York & St. Louis)

14. Search-Light Rag.

(1907; Jos. W. Stern & Co., New York)

15. Gladiolus Rag.

(1907; Jos. W. Stern & Co., New York)

16. Lily Queen.

By Arthur Marshall.

(1907 W.W. Stuart, New York)

17. Rose Leaf Rag.

(1907; Daly Music Publisher, Boston)

Disc Three.

1. Solace.

(1909; Seminary Music Co., New York)

2. Heliotrope Bouquet.

Louis Chauvin & Scott Joplin

(1907; Stark, St. Louis & New York)

3. Sugar Cane.

(1908; Seminary Music Co., New York)

4. Fig Leaf.

(1908; Stark, New York & St. Louis)

5. Pine Apple Rag.

(1908; Seminary Music Co., New York)

6. Wall Street Rag.

(1909; Seminary Music Co., New York)

7. Country Club.

(1909; Seminary Music Co., New York)

8. Pleasant Moments.

(1909; Seminary Music Co., New York)

9. Euphonic Sounds.

(1909; Seminary Music Co., New York)

10. Paragon Rag.

(1909; Seminary Music Co., New York)

11. Stoptime Rag.

(1910; Jos. W. Stern & Co., New York)

12. Felicity Rag.

Scott Hayden & Scott Joplin

(1911; Stark, St. Louis, New York)

13. Scott Joplin’s New Rag.

(1912; Jos. W. Stern & Co., New York)

14. Kismet Rag.

Scott Hayden & Scott Joplin

(1913; Stark, St. Louis)

15. Magnetic Rag

(1914; Scott Joplin, New York)

16. Silver Swan Rag.

(1971; New York Public Library)

17. Reflection Rag.

(1917; Stark Music Co., St. Louis)

Disc Four.

1. Please Say You Will.

Words & Music – Scott Joplin

(1895; M. L. Mantel, Syracuse, NY)

2. A Picture Of Her Face.

Words & music – Scott Joplin

(1895; Leiter Bros., Syracuse, NY)

3. I Am Thinking Of My Pickaninny Days

Words – Henry Jackson

Wusic – Scott Joplin

(1902; Thiebes-Stierlin, St. Louis)

4. The Ragtime Dance (song.)

Words & music – Scott Joplin

(1902; Stark Music Co., St. Louis)

5. Little Black Baby.

Words – Louise Armstrong Bristol

Music – Scott Joplin

(1903; Success Music Co, Chicago)

6. Maple Leaf Rag song.

Words – Sydney Brown

Music – Scott Joplin

(1903; John Stark & Son, St

7. Sarah Dear.

Words – Henry Jackson

Music – Scott Joplin

(1905; Bahnsen Music Co., St. Louis)

8. Good-bye Old Gal Good-bye.

Words – H. Carroll Taylor

Music – Mac Darden

Arranged by Scott Joplin

(1906; Foster-Calhoun, Evansville, Indiana)

9. Snoring Sampson.

Words & music – Harry La Mertha

Arranged by Scott Joplin

(1907; University, St .Louis)

10. When Your Hair Is Like The Snow.

Words – Owen Spendthrift

Music – Scott Joplin

(1907; Owen Spendthrift, St. Louis)

11. Pineapple Rag song.

Words – Joe Snyder

Music – Scott Joplin

(1910; Seminary Music Co., NY)

12. Lovin’ Babe.

Words & music – Al. R. Turner

Arranged by Scott Joplin

(1911; Robin Press, NY)

[13]. Unknown Song Fragment.

As Chris Ware describes this boxset:

"Mr. Nielsen plays Scott Joplin`s music in a clea, unaffected, and critically-acclaimed style, allowing all of the brilliance of the original compositions to shine through, without excessive rubato or romaticism. This et is certain to be a delightful addition to anyone`s personal library. Recorded in crystal clear digital stereo, melted into receptive polymer, and carefully indexed in binary code for accurate playback on your home setup."

(from Basta Records website)

I like to listen to some ragtime, from time to time, and all I have are some cheap compilations I want to avoid.

Jazz ancestors...

Edited April 28, 2004 by EKE BBB

[EKE BBB]

Guido Nielsen has recorded more ragtime discs on Basta Label:

Guido Nielsen - James Scott, The Complete Works (2CD)

Gifted pianist Guido Nielsen has made this double CD with the music of James Scott. Galen Wilkes wrote the liners for this CD, Chris Ware has designed the beautiful package for this CD. Guido Nielsen received critical acclaim for his performance on his CD titled, "The Complete Stark Rags of Joseph Lamb" (BASTA 3090 872). This one, of course, is of the same high quality.

Playing time 02:00:00

Track listing:

Every rag, waltz and song ever composed by James Scott! Total 38 tracks

(from Basta Records website)

Edited April 28, 2004 by EKE BBB

[EKE BBB]

And:

Guido Nielsen - The Complete Stark Rags of Josep Lamb

With the appearance of this landmark CD, Guido Nielsen finally gives us faithful and exciting performances of Joseph F. Lamb’s Stark Company-published rags, all dating from the middle/peak of the "Ragtime era" to its demise. Lamb wrote some of his best pieces during this period--masterpieces now recognized as the highest class of ragtime--and Nielsen's clean, accurate renditions would surely please Lamb himself. His rhythmic verve harkens back to a time when the music was played with gusto, following a strict beat, as written and in appropriate, steady tempi. Diving into "Sensation," "Excelsior" and "Bohemia" with great dexterity, he counters with sensitive yet unsentimental versions of the lyrical "Ragtime Nightingale" and "Ethiopia." His high-strutting "Champagne" and "Reindeer" are energized two-steps, while "Topliner" is hauntingly graceful as are the first two strains of "American Beauty," which is rendered with an attack ranging from the sensitive to the exuberant, wrapping up as a boisterous, barrelhouse rag. You are sure to discover new favorites here if you are not already familiar with the rags of Joseph Lamb, and you will likely find definitive performances, all keenly played by Guido Nielsen. Notes by Galen Wilkes, design by Chris Ware.

Track listing

1. Sensation 2.33

2. Excelsior 3.10

3. Champagne 3.35

4. Ethiopia 4.08

5. Contentment 2.32

6. American Beauty 3.31

7. Reindeer 2.54

8. Top Liner 3.50

9. Cleopatra 2.32

10. Patricia 3.11

11. Nightingale 3.49

12. Bohemia 2.57

(from Basta records website)

[jazzbo]

The MATERIAL is wonderful stuff. I have a four disc collection on New World that I really enjoy. Haven't heard this pianist's work.

[Nate Dorward]

Sounds very interesting, but I'd have to know what it's like before wanting all those discs. Bad versions of ragtime drive me nuts. For instance, I recently found a one-CD compilation of Joshua Rifkin's old LPs--I know these were popular in their time, but I found many of the tempos way too fast. (Though I liked his use of variations during repeats, rather than playing it "straight" all the time.) Who's doing the New World set, & what's it like? I need to get some of this stuff as I bash out the odd ragtime piece on the piano & could use a few recordings.

[jazzbo]

Can't locate it at the moment and don't remember the pianist's name BUT it isn't fast ragtime.

[jazzbo]

Richard Zimmerman is the pianist on my set, details are here:

http://www.rag-time.com/arc/works.htm

His work has gotten some rotten customer comments on Amazon but I don't feel that I agree with them. This is a good series of cds if you ask me, and not expensive. . . . I bought a set for my father as well, and he really enjoys the set, listens to it more often than I do.

[thunderthighs]

I have the other 2 (James Scott, and Joseph Lamb)... man, is that some good stuff. I can't get enough of those cds.....I just ordered the Scott Joplin Box Set. Its about $40.00... I don't spend $40.00 on anything especially cds...but this one is gonna be somethin' else I just know it. Not too fast, no digital reverberated roland keyboard gimmicks... This is just the real deal... Also anything Chris Ware does is phenomenal.... so you know the packaging and artwork is gonna be worth the price of it. I'll stop now that Im drooling.

TT

[David Williams]

I recently found a one-CD compilation of Joshua Rifkin's old LPs--I know these were popular in their time, but I found many of the tempos way too fast.

Following my nose into ragtime from Jelly Roll Morton and Air Lore, I found all three original Rifkin LPs this weekend and snapped them up. What I've heard on the first LP seems all quite stately: really lets you hear what's going on in the compositions.

A bit of online research throws up the name of Max Morath as an ideal interpreter of Joplin: anyone heard his stuff, or feel like recommending anyone else?

[Kalo]

I have the Guido Nielson James Scott and I like it quite a bit. Haven't heard the others. Lamb's music is beautiful and underplayed, and I look forward to hearing Nielson's interpretations.

I grew up on the Rifkin Joplins, but haven't heard them in a long time. The rap on them, as I recall it, was that they were too classical, too stately, too much rubato, etc. I bet I'd still like them, though. There's a lot of room for different interpretations of this music.

Joplin himself preferred his work to be played at moderate, though steady tempos. For a less classical, more driving interpretation of Joplin, Butch Thompson's disc on Daring Records is quite nice. I also have Dick Hyman's Complete Joplin Works for Piano on RCA Red Seal LP. I'm not sure if these have been on CD, but they are very good. The LPs even have a side of Hyman's jazz improvisations on Joplin's themes that he played in between takes to loosen up.

A recent disc that is worthy of any ragtime aficionado's eartime is Brun Campbell - Joplin's Disciple (Delmark), recorded in 1947 by a white follower of Joplin's (Born in Washington, KS, in 1884). This is some crude, raucous, street ragtime -- real saloon piano with nothing effete about it. Campbell has a left hand like a sledgehammer and his beat is rock solid. Fascinating stuff.

[David Williams]

Well I'm enjoying the respect Rifkin showed for the compositions, even if he does give them a classical slant from time-to-time. There's a real concert hall ambience to these recordings as well. I'm looking forward to hearing the Lamb and Scott now, too: probably look for the Nielsons.

[EKE BBB]

Richard Zimmerman is the pianist on my set, details are here:

http://www.rag-time.com/arc/works.htm

His work has gotten some rotten customer comments on Amazon but I don't feel that I agree with them. This is a good series of cds if you ask me, and not expensive. . . . I bought a set for my father as well, and he really enjoys the set, listens to it more often than I do.

Lon:

Just listened a CD with a selection of Scott Joplin's rags performed by Richard Zimmermann on Legacy International.

Haven't read those Amazon reviews, but I really prefer very much David Thomas Roberts' versions for Solo Art.

Oh, and I still have to get Guido Nielsen's in his Joplin integral for Basta Records.

[jazzbo]

Richard Zimmerman is the pianist on my set, details are here:

http://www.rag-time.com/arc/works.htm

His work has gotten some rotten customer comments on Amazon but I don't feel that I agree with them. This is a good series of cds if you ask me, and not expensive. . . . I bought a set for my father as well, and he really enjoys the set, listens to it more often than I do.

Lon:

Just listened a CD with a selection of Scott Joplin's rags performed by Richard Zimmermann on Legacy International.

Haven't read those Amazon reviews, but I really prefer very much David Thomas Roberts' versions for Solo Art.

Oh, and I still have to get Guido Nielsen's in his Joplin integral for Basta Records.

Well, thanks for the comparison, I may try the Roberts' version some time.

[mikeweil]

Are the Rifkins you are all talking about those on Nonesuch? He made another one for EMI/Angel which I find much better.