|
American Record Guide reviews "Votapek plays Gershwin" |
|
GERSHWIN: Songbook; arrangements Ralph Votapek, piano Blue Griffin 139?62 minutes When it comes to Gershwin, there have always been two schools. Whether you like him or not, you have to decide if he is a ?serious?, ?classical? composer. I have always thought he was not; he wanted to be, but he never really made it. He was a popular composer whose music had plenty of ?class? and was even quite sophisticated, but he has never meant more to me than Scott Joplin.
And that name came to me again listening to this recording. Ralph Votapek plays the Songbook like ragtime, and it?s delightful that way?sounds perfectly natural. The pianist has real flair, and it is hard not to enjoy this.
The Songbook takes 18 minutes here, and 17 songs are represented. Another recording of it that I love?completely different?takes 45 minutes and leaves out one song. Obviously Mr Votapek is a speed demon, and he doesn?t repeat much. Besides the Songbook we get the Promenade, the three preludes, and the bright and witty Earl Wild arrangements of themes from Porgy and Bess and his ?virtuoso etudes? on ?Lady Be Good? and ?Embraceable You?. (Mr Wild?s own recordings of these are different and quite wonderful?Ivory 70702.)
These are all new recordings, though Ralph Votapek has been active as a pianist since the 1950s. He still sounds terrific. VROON
American Record Guide May/June 2007
|
