Jan Kijlstra wrote in 001112 MMD:

>  I accidentally heard a recording of "The Graceful Ghost",
>  from "Three Ghost Rags", composed by William Bolcom.

A pleasant accident!  A note on this rag: it was written in 1970 in
memory of his father.  In my opinion it is one his most accessible
rags.

>  So I wondered if maybe my MMD friends could help me on how to get
>  more information on this composer as well as on his music.

The following information is shamelessly lifted from "William Bolcom
Complete Rags for Piano," published 1999 by Edward B. Marks Music Co.,
evidently a subsidiary of the Hal Leonard Corp. (www.halleaonard.com),
ISBN 0-634-00182-5.

This book has the music for all his rags (22 in all), composed mainly
in the late 1960s and early 1970s, but one as late as 1993.  The rags
are varying degrees of wonderful/obscure, and some are considerably
more complex harmonically and technically than the Joplin/Scott/Lamb
classics.

There are a number of interesting biographical notes, photos of Eubie
Blake, Rudi Blesh, Max Morath and others.

William Bolcom is currently on the faculty of the University of Michigan
music school, Ann Arbor, MI (since 1973).  Born 1938 in Seattle, WA.
Studied with Milhaud.  Earned Doctor of Musical Arts degree from
Stanford U.  Won Pulitzer Prize in Music for "12 New Etudes for Piano"
in 1988.  My favorites among his titles (considering only titles!) are
"Unpopular Songs" and "Dead Moth Tango."

He is married to Joan Morris and they often perform together, he
playing the piano, she singing.

> And of course I would be very glad if somebody could tell me if,
> and how, I could order recordings in the USA, and have them shipped
> to Holland (preferably as samples, to avoid taxes!).

I have an old LP (1971) entitled "Heliotrope Bouquet Piano Rags
1900-1970" on which William Bolcom plays rags by Turpin, Joplin, Lamb,
Scott, Roberts, Bolcom and Albright-Bolcom (including Graceful Ghost).
LP has liner notes by Bolcom and Rudi Blesh.  Label is Nonesuch
H-71257.

There is also a more recent 2-CD set on which John Murphy plays all the
Bolcom rags, entitled "William Bolcom Complete Rags" (Albany Records:
518-436-8814 U.S., 0524-735873 U.K.)

Steve Sorenson