An Accidental Diversion

I acquired this disk as a freebie since someone had it as an unwanted gift. It is certainly not something that I would have bought but it has interest and is worth hanging onto. It is titled Piano Music Volume Two : 1966-2007 and features compositions by Americam Composer Phillip Ramey. The performer on the disk is pianist Mirian Conti. I have to admit to never having heard of Ramey until being offered this disk. There are first recordings of many of the works here which suggest that his music is not widely performed but he seems an interesting character. There seem dual American and Russian links to his music which dabbles in atonality and serial techniques as well as pianistic colour effects and tone-clusters. The American links are through associations with more famous colleagues such as Copland and Barber, while he studied with the Russian Alexander Tcherepnin and wrote works featured here with titles such as Leningrad Rag ( Mutations on Scott Joplin ) and Homage to Prokofiev, one of his set of Diversions. Ramey also spent much time in Morocco although there is no eveidence in this music of the influence of North African modes. Overall, there is a bit of a dry academic feel to this disk but it is not without interest.