Search - Joshua Rifkin :: Rags & Tangos

An excellent survey of fine piano miniatures

B. FILBERT | Oregon, USA | 08/20/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It is sad (but not unexpected) that this CD went out of print so quickly. Rifkin (so famous for his recordings of Scott Joplin) turns his elegant and insightful musicianship to the music of two of the other great Classic Ragtime composers (James Scott and Joseph Lamb), and the fine tangos of Brazilian composer Ernesto Nazareth. As always, he respects the scores, playing them as written, with joy and attention to the deeper aspects contained in their brief spans. Of particular note to me are the slow rags by Scott (some of the finest of all rag creations), and the exquisite slower tangos of Nazareth. Rifkin sees through the ephemeral nature of these works into the real substance present that makes these works more than "tin pan alley" throw-aways. The recorded sound is spacious and balanced. One hopes that this recording is released again someday."