American Piano Classics
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: George Gershwin, Erroll (Louis) Garner, Conlon Nancarrow, Charles Ives, Thelonius Monk, Aaron Copland
Label: LDR
Magazine Review Date: 8/1989
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 65
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: LDRCD1004
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| Prelude |
Conlon Nancarrow, Composer
Conlon Nancarrow, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| Blues |
Conlon Nancarrow, Composer
Conlon Nancarrow, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| Varied Air and Variations |
Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| Study No. 21, 'Some Southpaw Pitching' |
Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| (The) Anti-Abolitionist Riots |
Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| Three Page Sonata |
Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| Sonata for Piano No. 2, 'Concord, Mass.: 1840-60', Movement: The Alcotts |
Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| Erroll's Blues |
Erroll (Louis) Garner, Composer
Erroll (Louis) Garner, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| Erroll's Bounce |
Erroll (Louis) Garner, Composer
Erroll (Louis) Garner, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| Variations |
Aaron Copland, Composer
Aaron Copland, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| (4) Piano Blues, Movement: Soft and languid (1934) |
Aaron Copland, Composer
Aaron Copland, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| (4) Piano Blues, Movement: Muted and sensuous (1948) |
Aaron Copland, Composer
Aaron Copland, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| Monk's Point |
Thelonius Monk, Composer
Joanna MacGregor, Piano Thelonius Monk, Composer |
| Round Midnight |
Thelonius Monk, Composer
Joanna MacGregor, Piano Thelonius Monk, Composer |
| (A) Damsel in Distress, Movement: A Foggy Day |
George Gershwin, Composer
George Gershwin, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| Oh, Kay!, Movement: Fidgety Feet |
George Gershwin, Composer
George Gershwin, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| Girl Crazy, Movement: But not for me |
George Gershwin, Composer
George Gershwin, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
Composer or Director: George Gershwin, Erroll (Louis) Garner, Conlon Nancarrow, Charles Ives, Thelonius Monk, Aaron Copland
Label: LDR
Magazine Review Date: 8/1989
Media Format: Cassette
Media Runtime: 0
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: LDRZC1004
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| Prelude |
Conlon Nancarrow, Composer
Conlon Nancarrow, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| Blues |
Conlon Nancarrow, Composer
Conlon Nancarrow, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| Varied Air and Variations |
Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| Study No. 21, 'Some Southpaw Pitching' |
Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| (The) Anti-Abolitionist Riots |
Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| Three Page Sonata |
Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| Sonata for Piano No. 2, 'Concord, Mass.: 1840-60', Movement: The Alcotts |
Charles Ives, Composer
Charles Ives, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| Erroll's Blues |
Erroll (Louis) Garner, Composer
Erroll (Louis) Garner, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| Erroll's Bounce |
Erroll (Louis) Garner, Composer
Erroll (Louis) Garner, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| Variations |
Aaron Copland, Composer
Aaron Copland, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| (4) Piano Blues, Movement: Soft and languid (1934) |
Aaron Copland, Composer
Aaron Copland, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| (4) Piano Blues, Movement: Muted and sensuous (1948) |
Aaron Copland, Composer
Aaron Copland, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| Monk's Point |
Thelonius Monk, Composer
Joanna MacGregor, Piano Thelonius Monk, Composer |
| Round Midnight |
Thelonius Monk, Composer
Joanna MacGregor, Piano Thelonius Monk, Composer |
| (A) Damsel in Distress, Movement: A Foggy Day |
George Gershwin, Composer
George Gershwin, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| Oh, Kay!, Movement: Fidgety Feet |
George Gershwin, Composer
George Gershwin, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
| Girl Crazy, Movement: But not for me |
George Gershwin, Composer
George Gershwin, Composer Joanna MacGregor, Piano |
Author:
After a miserable evening listening to below-par performances of much-recorded repertoire this came as a real tonic—by no standards could this programme be called 'much-recorded', and the playing is distinctly above-par.
The sequence of works is effective in itself, five chunks of Ives surrounding Copland's Piano Variations, with pieces in 'popular' idioms setting off those meatier items. I am not qualified to pronounce on the faithfulness of Joanna MacGregor's Garner and Monk transcriptions, but they seem thoroughly stylish andErroll's Bounce certainly had my foot tapping. Getting on the wavelength of Michael Finnissy's Gershwin arrangements has proved more difficult and the Blues pieces are hardly the best of Copland. Nancarrow's Prelude and Blues are ideal as curtainraisers, however—it is good to hear his music on something other than his customized honky-tonk pianolas and forced to operate within the limitations of a live performer's ten fingers and one brain. It remains as zany and uninhibited as ever, with a typically abrupt conclusion to Prelude, and it helps the listener to tune in to a vernacular which owes as much to Cowell, Antheil and James 9. Johnson (I thought I'd get in some requests in case LDR are considering follow-ups) as to Ives.
Copland's 12-note-without-tears Variationsare played with a strong sense of atmosphere and a good ear for texture, although the later variations show up some limitations at the virtuoso end of things and No. 6 is rhythmically awry. The last page of Ives's ''Alcotts'' is not too happy either, but the homespun lyricism of the movement is well conveyed and MacGregor sets exactly the right mystical tone forThe anti-abolitionist riots. She sorts out the intricacies of the remaining Ives pieces superbly. I do wish, though, that Ives recordings would specify exactly what text they use—an Ives Urtext is virtually a contradiction in terms and these performances are nothing like my Kirkpatrick-edited scores of the Three-page Sonata and Some southpaw pitching.
First-rate piano sound and a warm-toned instrument, never pushed beyond its limits—all in all an extremely enjoyable issue.'
The sequence of works is effective in itself, five chunks of Ives surrounding Copland's Piano Variations, with pieces in 'popular' idioms setting off those meatier items. I am not qualified to pronounce on the faithfulness of Joanna MacGregor's Garner and Monk transcriptions, but they seem thoroughly stylish and
Copland's 12-note-without-tears Variationsare played with a strong sense of atmosphere and a good ear for texture, although the later variations show up some limitations at the virtuoso end of things and No. 6 is rhythmically awry. The last page of Ives's ''Alcotts'' is not too happy either, but the homespun lyricism of the movement is well conveyed and MacGregor sets exactly the right mystical tone for
First-rate piano sound and a warm-toned instrument, never pushed beyond its limits—all in all an extremely enjoyable issue.'
American Piano Classics
American Piano Classics
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