The Canadian pianist Leslie De’Ath follows the success of his first Billy Mayerl anthology for Dutton Epoch, which was an ‘Editor’s Choice’ in Gramophone magazine, with a second volume of this delightfully tuneful, syncopated music. In addition to familiar numbers such as Bats in the Belfry, he ranges across Mayerl’s career from the Piano Exaggerations of 1926 to the late Waltz for a Lonely Heart of 1956. Three multi-movement suites give weight to this selection: Three Dances in Syncopation, Three Miniatures in Syncopation and the six-movement tone poem The Legends of King Arthur. A triumph of selection and performance.
November 2009
“In Railroad Rhythm and Robots De'Ath delivers the pyrotechnics with enviable ease and a terrific rhythmic sense. He's also completely at home with pieces such as the wistful Romanesque and Waltz for a Lonely Heart, lovely tunes.”
Click on any of the works listed above for alternative recordings.
