What do you listen to when you're not quite in the mood for a stern Beethoven sonata, an autumnal Brahms intermezzo, or even an eccentric Satie gnossienne, but still feel like hearing some pianistically challenging music. Well, the piano rags of William Bolcom (b. 1938) of course. And who better than piano wizard Marc-André Hamelin to bring out all of their wit, charm, and most of all technical demands.

Contrary to popular belief and what they sound like on the surface, rags are not all that easy to play (and by this I mean to play properly). Let alone their awkwardly syncopated rhythms, constant left-hand leaps from octaves to chords, etc... most pianists approach them in a robotic fashion which doesn't do them any justice. Like any good piece of music, in order to entertain the listener, they need to be given the proper expressive treatment in order to jump off the page, especially since most of them tend to sound alike. Take the simple little Tabby Cat Walk of which you can hear a short audio clip below. Notice how well Hamelin nuances the bass notes in the left hand, which gives the whole piece a slight comical spin. Or how well he makes use of the sustain pedal in the Epitaph for Louis Chauvin to enrich the harmonies. Or how much he punches up the Albright: Brass Knuckles. So much so that Hamelin's version could well be titled "Brash" Knuckles.

So when you're not quite up for something too serious but still want to be dazzled, let Marc-André Hamelin show you how it's done.