Paul Ramsier: Compositions for Virtuoso Double Bass

Paul Ramsier was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and showed promise as a pianist at the age of five and began composing at the age of nine. At 16 he entered the University of Louisville School of Music and then went to Juilliard where he studied piano with Beveridge Webster. At Florida State University he studied composition with Ernst von Dohnanyi. In his early career in New York City, he was a staff pianist with the New York City Ballet where he was influenced by Balanchine and Stravinsky. During this period he studied composition with Alexei Haieff. He is a composer of Orchestral, opera and choral works, but his chief contribution to 20th century music is a body of work for the double bass. On this disc we have his four major works for this instrument gathered on one CD, including one of the most requested works from the back Louisville catalog, The Road to Hamelin, a most popular work for children, which, with more exposure will become as popular as Peter and The Wolf. Please note that two of the compositions are performed by the great double bassist, Gary Karr.
Track listing:
Divertimento Concertante on a Theme of Couperin
1.Theme   
2.Barcarolle   
3.March   
4.Dirge   
5.Recitative   
6.Valse Cinematique   
7.Toccata Barrocca   

8.Road to Hamelin

Silent Movie
9.First Kiss
10.In Peril
11.The Vine Covered Cottage
12.Martians
13.Dracula
14.Mata Hari
15.I Found the Treasure!

Eusebius Revisited (Remembrances of Schumann)
16.Rubato, molto espressivo   
17.Con intimo sentimento
18.Allegro molto   
19.Allegro energico
20.Allegro molto
21.Moderato molto   
22.Piacevole
23.Encore