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Frivolity is featured on the CD, “The Best of NEXUS”.
George Hamilton Green (1893-1970) was born in Omaha, Nebraska and was hailed as the world’s greatest xylophonist when he was still in his teens. An inspired pioneer in the development of a classical technique for the xylophone. he also expanded the instrument’s expressive potential through his many transcriptions and compositions.
In NEXUS’ RAGTYME album, the focus had been primarily on Green’s dance music in the “novelty ragtime” style. But there were also many other works more suitable for concert audiences, such as The Hummingbird, Spanish Waltz, and Frivolity. Again it was Bob Becker who championed a revival of interest in this extraordinary music.
For this recording NEXUS assembled a group of vintage xylophones and marimbas which are certainly among the finest of their kind ever made. Included was a magnificent 5-octave Deagan Nabimba (ca. 1906), generously loaned to NEXUS by Garry Kvistad. This instrument’s wonderful buzzing effect, so reminiscent of the marimbas of central America, can be clearly heard in the Spanish Waltz.
