COMPACT DISC REVIEW

By

Jack Rummel

Piano Music by Billy Mayerl, Volume One and Volume Two

Philip Martin, piano

Somm Recordings CD0124 and CD0149

VOLUME ONE:  Autumn Crocus / Wisteria / Evening Primrose / Aquarium Suite: Willow Moss; Moorish Idol; Fantail; Whirligig / Marigold / From a Spanish Lattice / Puppets Suite: Golliwog; Judy; Punch / Weeping Willow / Railroad Rhythm / Siberian Lament / Three Contrasts: Ladybird; Pastoral; Fiddle Dance / The Harp of the Winds / Shallow Waters / Robots.

VOLUME TWO:  Insect Oddities: Wedding of an Ant; Ladybird Lullaby; Praying Mantis; Beetle in a Bottle / White Heather / Nimble-fingered Gentleman / Song of the Fir Tree / Jasmine / The Big Top Suite: The Ringmaster; Clowning; Entrance of the Trick Cyclists; Dancing Horse; Trapeze / Pianolettes (Book 2): Virginia Creeper; All-of-a Twist; The Jazz Mistress / Three Japanese Pictures: Almond Blossom; A Temple in Kyoto; The Cherry Dance / Three Syncopated Rambles: The Junior Apprentice; Printer’s Devil; 6:00 A.M. Milkman.

     When one thinks of novelty piano music, the name of Billy Mayerl is among the top two that generally come to mind.  Born and died in London, he did in Europe for the genre what Zez Confrey did for it in America.  This is not a style of music that is easy to play; thus, Philip Martin joins a mere handful of pianists who have recorded albums of Mayerl’s music.  Martin is conservatory trained and has concertized solo and with major orchestras in Europe, Africa, America and the Far East.

     As befits the Somm label, which releases classical recordings featuring the timeless masters up to avant garde composers, Martin treats Mayerl’s music as classical works and his touch ranges from majestic to ethereal.  Recorded in the concert hall of an English conservatory on a superb grand piano, the sound quality is outstanding.  Each disc contains complete liner notes and features delicate cover art from the 1920s.  In short, these CDs exude class.

     The combined playlists add 15 new titles to my library and four of the seven suites are new to me, thus expanding my appreciation of Mayerl’s compositional talents significantly.  Yes, nothing here can be defined as true ragtime, but there is abundant syncopation.  Novelty piano music was written by extremely competent pianists for extremely competent pianists, and we mere mortals can only listen in awe.  Philip Martin certainly fits that category and his rendering of Billy Mayerl is truly a treat for the ears.  Highly recommended.

     Available for $18.04 per disc plus shipping from <www.amazon.com>, <www.barnes&noble.com> and others.