Beauty Beckons CD

Beauty Beckons  

Beauty Beckons This CD explores American solo piano music: optimistic, energetic, and full of easy confidence and dance rhythms. It begins with a bravura piece by Richard Hoffman (1831-1909) who was Jenny Lind's accompanist on her famous US tour arranged by PT Barnum. Hoffman later became an important figure in the New York musical scene. Next are two works by John Knowles Paine (1839-1906) who was instrumental in creating the first University department of music in the US at Harvard. Amy Beach is represented by her lyrical masterpiece "Dreaming". Debussy and Ravel influenced Charles Griffes (884-1920); while Daniel Gregory Mason (1873-1953), grandson of famous hymn writer Lowell Mason, composes more in the style of Rachmaninoff in "Night Wind". Manna Zucca (1885-1981) is the second woman composer on the disk; her "Valse Brilliante" is very much in the style of Godowsky. Next, we hear several examples of African American music. Fred Stone's (1873-1912) "Silks and Rags" is a delightful ragtime waltz that begins with a tango. Nathaniel Dett's (1882-1943) "Juba Dance" is a catchy depiction of fiddling by the rivers of the South, and Scott Joplin's rags (1868-1917) are American classics. George Gershwin (1898-1937) consciously integrated many aspects of African-American music into his work. Ms. Bogart performs five delightful arrangements by Gershwin of his songs and one excerpt from "Shall We Dance", the "Promenade". Aaron Copland (1900-1990) captured the spirit of the American West in his ballet Rodeo, and transcribed much of it for solo piano. The "Saturday Night Waltz" is lyrical and tender, and the "Hoe-Down" is a well-known, toe tapping evocation of a country fiddling and dancing. Zez Confrey (1895-1971) was a contemporary of George Gershwin, and his "novelty" style was a transition from ragtime to more modern jazz. "Dizzy Fingers" is delightful and good humored. Morton Gould (1913-1996) combines the rhythmic drive of boogie-woogie with technical virtuosity and tongue planted firmly in cheek in the "Boogie Woogie Etude".

Beauty Beckons Modern interpretations of Ravel's acclaimed impressionist-classical compositions created with electronic (synthesizers) and traditional (percussion) instruments. Artist/musician/filmmaker Ronnie Cramer had two Number One songs at the late MP3 ; his films and artwork have been exhibited across the USA. See cramer. org for more information.

Beauty Beckons Few performers in the 1930s understood the possibilities offered by radio better than Bob Wills. Along with his Texas Playboys, Wills was a constant presence on radio for nearly three decades, including doing a daily show for some 20 years for the General Mills subsidiary Red Star Milling on Tulsa's KVOO. This interesting set features one of those broadcasts from the mid-'30s, including the between-song narration (but without the commercials for Play Boy flour) and some blistering instrumentals from the band as well as vocal turns from Tommy Duncan, Bill Choate, and even Bob Wills himself. Wills & His Texas Playboys played the hyper-charged string band music that came to be known as Western swing, but with a decided improvisational edge, led by a triple-fiddle attack and, in later incarnations, driven by drums and electrified instruments. Listen to the near bagpipe impersonation the three fiddles create on "I'm Talkin' About You," the sheer propulsion of "Lone Star Rag," or the lovely grace of "Wednesday Night Waltz" to catch a glimpse of how exciting and versatile this band could be. The recording quality for this set is fair, with occasional minor dropouts, but the overall feel of this impressive band playing live is more than worth the price of admission. ~ Steve Leggett

Beauty Beckons  

Beauty Beckons