Joplin: The Red Back Book, Elite Syncopations / Schuller, Grierson, New England

[xcortes]

Joplin: The Red Back Book, Elite Syncopations / Schuller, Grierson, New England Ragtime Conservatory, Southland Stingers

I like this album very much. Very joyful music and very good sonics. I have an Angel LP that has some surface noise but sounds fantastic. Ragtime music played by a band.

According to Klaus Pehl at http://ragtime-society.de/Englisch/redback.htm: The real title of this collection of band arrangemments is "Standard High-Class Rags", published by the Stark Music Company of St. Louis around 1912. The among musicians popular name came from the red color of the front and back page. There existed folios for flute/piccolo, clarinet, cornet, trombone, 1st and 2nd violin, cello, bass, piano and drums. John S. Stark had chosen rags for this collection which he had already successfully published as piano rags, especially from his composer star Scott Joplin and James Scott. The orchestrations follow strictly the piano compositions. In a few cases keys were chosen which are more convenient for the wind instruments than the original keys.

No one can not like this album!

[ironbut]

Sounds like something I'll have to look into. Thanks for reminding me of a genre that I forget that I like. It really doesn't get the respect it deserves. I think it would be a good idea, especially with unusual pressings, to give the catalog number.

[xcortes]

Here's various cheap ones on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Scott-joplin-the-red-back-book-lp-record_W0QQitemZ250169700753QQihZ015QQcategoryZ306QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/SCOTT-JOPLIN-The-red-back-book-on-ANGEL-LP_W0QQitemZ250017894534QQihZ015QQcategoryZ306QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Gunther-Schuller-1973-Scott-Joplin-Red-Book-NEC-Angel_W0QQitemZ130053406536QQihZ003QQcategoryZ306QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

and the CD:

http://www.amazon.com/Joplin-Syncopations-Schuller-Conservatory-Southland/dp/B000002SJG

And here's more interesting info taken from http://www.knowyourmusic.com/kym/index.asp?LogID=9:

In 1973 American music was re-introduced to Scott Joplin, one of its most important sons. From Hollywood, the classic film "The Sting" featured half a dozen of Joplin's rags, as performed and arranged by Marvin Hamlisch (who made a hysterical appearance on the 'Tonight' show, almost entirely because he was being attacked by a previous guest - a giant owl, which had escaped from its trainer.) Hamlisch won three Oscars in 1974; two for "The Way We Were" (Best Original Dramatic Score, Best Title Song.) The third was for the score of "The Sting." Hentedoften credited for 'single-handedly reviving interest in ragtime music' but at our house, that honor goes to Gunther Schuller.

Born in 1925, by the age of 25 Schuller had already performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, and the Metropolitan Opera. In May of 1972, nearly 30 years ago (and before the release of "The Sting") Schuller and his talented young New England Conservatory musicians performed four Scott Joplin rags from the legendary collection officially known as "Fifteen Standard High Class Rags" but more frequently referred to by its New Orleans nickname, "The Red Back Book."

An advertisement for some of Joplin's rags published in 1904 read, in part: "If you were at the St. Louis Fair and heard the Kilties, or the Washington Marine Band play these classic rags, then we will not need to strain the tired language in a vain effort to describe them . . . If you are alive to impulse you felt the ground wave under your feet, and you dropped into sublime reverie . . ." If you know that feeling, you know what it's like to hear Scott Joplin's rags for the first time.

Schuller and the New England Conservatory recorded eight rags on their 1973 album "Scott Joplin: The Red Back Book." All eight are performed by the 11-man ensemble in the original arrangements, but two are given special treatment. Both "The Entertainer" and "Sun Flower Slow Drag" are also performed as piano solos by Myron Romanul in what have become two of my favorite tracks of all time. Sadly, the CD version contains all eight orchestral versions, but not the piano solos.

[ironbut]

And another G. Schuller fan pops out of the woodwork. A friend of mine, Richard Worn, who directs the Worn Chamber Ensemble, is a huge fan. He organized a 2 day tribute festival in Golden Gate Park a number of years ago where Schuller conducted some of his works and gave lectures. Nobody told me about it till it was all over! I could have hung all weekend backstage and gone to all the dinners and stuff! Needless to say,.. I was pissed! Missing a chance to talk casually and learn a little about what makes a guy like that tick is something I'll aways regret. I have a bad habit of totally losing track and contact with really close friends. That'll learn me!