MUSIC: Scott Joplin: Sun Flower Slow Drag performed by the New England Conservatory Ragtime Ensemble conducted by Gunther Schuller [EMI/Angel/Musical Heritage Society 5185857, excerpted from track 2] [under the following]

Hello and welcome to Compact Discoveries. I’m your guide, Fred Flaxman. The last hour of this program was devoted to “Variations on Scott Joplin Rags.” That consisted of only four of this African-American composer’s delightful, energetic pieces, since I played different versions with different orchestrations of each of those pieces.

Well, stay with me for this next hour and I’ll continue where I left off. I’m going to announce the name of each piece and the performers, but nothing else, really, in an effort to get 14 different interpretations of 6 different delightful Scott Joplin tunes to your ears before time runs out.

MUSIC: fades out

Let’s begin with pianist John Arpin playing The Cascades, followed immediately by the same piece as performed by the New England Conservatory Ragtime Ensemble conducted by Gunther Schuller.

MUSIC: Scott Joplin: The Cascades, performed by pianist John Arpin [Pro-Arte Fanfare CDD 562, track 4] [2:58]

MUSIC: Scott Joplin: The Cascades, performed by The New England COnservatory Ragtime Ensemble conducted by Gunther Schuller [EMI/Angel/Musical Heritage 5185857, track 1] [3:31]

Scott Joplin’s The Cascades performed first by pianist John Arpin, and then by the New England Conservatory Ragtime Ensemble conducted by Gunther Schuller.

MUSIC: Scott Joplin: Sugar Cane Rag, performed by John Arpin [Pro-Arte Fanfare CDD 562, track 1] [3:27]

MUSIC: Scott Joplin: Sugar Cane Rag, performed by Itzhak Perlman and André Previn [Musical Heritage Society 513995K, track 10] [3:39]

MUSIC: Scott Joplin: Sugar Cane Rag, performed by The New England Conservatory Ragtime Ensemble conducted by Gunther Schuller [EMI/Angel/Musical Heritage 5185857, track 5] [3:13]

Scott Joplin’s Sugar Cane - A Rag-Time Classic Two-Step, performed first by pianist John Arpin, then by violinist Itzhak Perlman with pianist André Previn, and finally by The New England Conservatory Ragtime Ensemble conducted by Gunther Schuller.

You are listening to “More Scott Joplin Variations” on Compact Discoveries. I’m your guide, Fred Flaxman.

[optional one-minute break not included in the total timing of the program]

MUSIC: Scott Joplin: The Chrysanthemum, performed by pianist Benjamin Loeb [Naxos 8.559277, track 3] [4:42]

MUSIC: Scott Joplin: Chrysanthemum, performed by The New England Conservatory Ragtime Ensemble conducted by Gunther Schuller [EMI/Angel/Musical Heritage 5185857, track 3] [3:47]

Scott Joplin’s Chrysanthemum, performed first by pianist Benjamin Loeb, then by The New England Conservatory Ragtime Ensemble conducted by Gunther Schuller.

You are listening to “More Scott Joplin Variations” on Compact Discoveries. I’m your guide, Fred Flaxman.

[optional one-minute break not included in the total timing of the program]

MUSIC: Scott Joplin: Sunflower Slow Drag, performed by pianist Richard Glazier [Centaur Records CRC 2403, track 15] [4:32]

MUSIC: Scott Joplin: Sunflower Slow Drag, performed by The New England Conservatory Ragtime Ensemble conducted by Gunther Schuller [EMI/Angel/Musical Heritage 5185857, track 2] [3:08]

Scott Joplin’s Sunflower Slow Drag -- A Ragtime Two-Step. The piece was written with Scott Hayden in 1901. It was performed first by pianist Richard Glazier, then by The New England Conservatory Ragtime Ensemble conducted by Gunther Schuller.

MUSIC: Scott Joplin: Heliotrope Bouquet, performed by pianist Joshua Rifkin [Angel/EMI Classics 7243 4 76980 2 6 , track 9] [5:56]

MUSIC: Scott Joplin: Heliotrope Bouquet, performed by The Southland Stingers with Ralph Grierson, piano, conducted by George Sponhaltz [EMI/Angel/Musical Heritage 5185857, track 10] [4:07]

Scott Joplin’s Heliotrope Bouquet, performed first by pianist Joshua Rifkin, then by The Southland Stingers with Ralph Grierson, piano, conducted by George Sponhaltz.

I’ll conclude this hour of “More Scott Joplin Variations” on Compact DIscoveries with three different orchestrations of Elite Syncopations. First Richard Glazier’s recording of the original piano piece, then a version for violin and piano with Itzhak Perlman and André Previn, and finally by the Southland Stingers with Ralph Grierson, piano, conducted by George Sponhaltz.

MUSIC: Scott Joplin: Elite Syncopations, performed by Richard Glazier [Centaur Records CRC 2403, track 11] [3:21]

MUSIC: Scott Joplin: Elite Syncopations, performed by Itzhak Perlman and André Previn [Musical Heritage Society 513995K, track 7] [3:09]

MUSIC: Scott Joplin: Elite Syncopations, performed by The Southland Stingers conducted by George Sponhaltz [EMI/Angel/Musical Heritage 5185857, track 9] [3:29]

Scott Joplin’s 1902 rag, Elite Syncopations, performed first by pianist Richard Glazier as Joplin wrote it, then by violinist Itzhak Perlam with pianist André Previn, and finally by the Southland Stingers with Ralph Grierson, piano, conducted by George Sponhaltz.

Well this brings to an end this Compact DIscoveries hour devoted to “More Scott Joplin Variations.” I hope you enjoyed the music. This is Fred Flaxman thanking you for listening and reminding you to visit the Compact Discoveries website at CompactDiscoveries.com, where you can find links to stream this program and all Compact DIscoveries programs on demand. This is program number 167. You’ll also find scripts for each program there with complete information on every recording we use. And if you have any comments, questions or suggestions concerning Compact DIscoveries, please write me at fred@compactdiscoveries.com.

MUSIC: Scott Joplin: Sun Flower Slow Drag performed by the New England Conservatory Ragtime Ensemble conducted by Gunther Schuller [EMI/Angel/Musical Heritage Society 5185857, excerpted from track 2]

ANNOUNCER (Steve Jencks): Compact Discoveries is made possible in part by Story Book Publishers and their latest offering, a tongue-in-cheek memoir by Compact Discoveries host Fred Flaxman called “Sixty Slices of Life ... on Wry: The Private Life of a Public Broadcaster.” Information and ordering at sixtyslices.com.

And by Isabel and Marvin Leibowitz, Barry and Florence Friedberg, and an anonymous donor from Palm Beach, Florida. And by contributions to local public radio stations by listeners like you. Thank you.

Total Program Timing: 58:00