Audio Recordings

Bolcom: Ragomania, Commedia; Fischer / Lancaster Festival Orchestra

If you like the music of George Gershwin or Malcolm Arnold, or if you know already the eclectic style and lambent humor of William Bolcom, you won’t be disappointed. Nothing is too serious here, but nothing is simple either.

Not very characteristically for our times, Bolcom loves ragtime, and has written quite a number of rags. Ragomania is his “Rhapsody in Rag” – its glorification, just as Ravel’s La Valse was the glorification of the waltz. The music is jazzy, jagged and jaunty, with catchy tunes and masterful writing for the orchestra. The music is loud, with tons of brass and percussion. As the composer explained in the liner-note, he wanted to cover the audience noise at the Boston Pops concert! Ragtime is a dance, and dance is about movement, so there is a lot of movement and energy in the music. While an excessive loudness can be a problem, the infectious drive set by the conductor is irresistible. The performance is inspired; all rhythmical games are well played. Still, overall it sounds as just another festival overture in the upbeat mood.

The recording quality is very good. The booklet contains interesting notes from William Bolcom and Richard Stoltzman about the works, as well as a few reflections by the conductor Gary Sheldon. This disc is a great mood-raiser, excellently performed and recorded. The orchestra sparkles. There is a lot of cheerful and attractive music, and it only gets better on subsequent listenings.

-- Oleg Ledeniov, MusicWeb International