Stoptime Rag (414.01.2Perc.)

Stoptime Rag (414.01.2Perc.) While Joplin was busy working on his opera Treemonisha in 1910, he somehow found time to write the brilliant Stoptime Rag. Foot stamping (or stomps) had already become a mainstay of ragtime performance and stoptime, or literally stopping the music in order to introduce a heart-wrenching silence or a stomp, was becoming very popular. For the very first time Joplin gives the tempo indication, Fast or slow, in other words, that the foot movements of the performers should govern the speed, rather than the music. The result is an exhilarating fun-filled romp, full of both musical hiccups and nonstop semiquavers. This arrangement was specially made for the album Preludes, Rags and Cakewalks (MPR 005), performed by The Symphonic Brass of London conducted by Eric Crees. All of the transcriptions are new and original, making this a world premiere recording. ‘Super playing from living legends of the London orchestral brass scene. In these fantastic arrangements it’s sometimes hard to believe these pieces weren’t originally scored for brass. The musicianship throughout is second to none and the sound is an absolute treat. Eric Crees pays his affectionate respects in performances subtly styled, coloured and paced - from the touchingly restrained to the joyfully raucous. Musical authenticity permeates through, understated yet valued in placement and precision. It is a fabulous exploration that deserves the richest of accolades on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.’ Iwan Fox - 4 Bars Rest - Verdict *****