“A fresh approach to Joplin that emphasizes the range of his compositions and avoids mechanical ‘nostalgic’ arrangements.”
James Manheim, Allmusic
One of the COVID hobbies I picked up in 2020? For the first time, I found myself living in a house with an actual, real, wooden upright piano—and so I felt I had no choice but learn how to play it. As anyone who has ever played piano could easily guess, you know there came a point where I would spend days trudging through and gradually improving upon a meager, childish performance of Scott Joplin’s “Maple Leaf Rag”—much to the dismay of my wife, dog, and neighbors.
But no matter what you think of ragtime, no one can deny the influence and staying power of Scott Joplin, whose music has permeated pop culture over the past century and also been performed by many of the world’s greatest pianists. Reflections: Scott Joplin Reconsidered is a new, well-deserved tribute from Lara Downes, who serves as Resident Artist for Classical KDFC in SF and Classical KUSC in LA. In addition to performing the famous pieces (“Maple Leaf Rag” and “The Entertainer”), Downes covers Joplin’s wide range, from waltzes and tangos to an excerpt from Treemonisha (1911), considered to be the first opera by a Black composer. Featuring small wind ensembles that (according to Allmusic) would be standard in Joplin’s time, the performances are far less stiff than typical ragtime performances. This is old music made new, dynamic, and full of life.
