Structurally, the Rag falls into the familiar AA-BB-A-CC-DD with the exception of the final section that presents new material. Harmonically it uses some of the subtle chromatic tricks of the Maple Leaf Rag that add a gentle spice to the otherwise traditional chordal patterns. This is particularly because of the bass line which acts as a counter-melody to the fast flowing tune above. In this Rag, I feel the presence of the Marching Bands more clearly than in other works by Joplin. It has been referred to an archetypal Rag meaning that it set the tone and structure for most Rags that followed. It’s a wonderful display of how Joplin played, I would suggest, and makes full use of the colours and range of the piano. There is no introduction to the piece like The Entertainer, but an upbeat from the bass and we are plunged into the melody. This was probably the first Rag Joplin published and one that has enjoyed many years in the spotlight. Joplin himself made his living as a piano teacher and composer, dying tragically at the age of forty-eight.Įven though the Entertainer has become the winner of best-known Rag, it was The Maple Leaf Rag that assured Joplin his reputation. The light-hearted nature of the music and compelling tune has made this rag amongst the favourite of all Joplin’s oeuvre. This is not a simple piece to play as like most Rags, uses a stride, a left-hand piano technique the effectively adds both bass line and chords to the melody. The piece enjoyed a resurrection in the 1970’s when it was brilliantly used in the film titled “The Sting”. It was written around 1902 and gained steadily in popularity. This is doubtless the most famous piece of Ragtime music ever composed. The Entertainer by Scott Joplin (1868-1917) The result, however, is a hugely popular musical form that combines a regular march-like two-beat rhythm with the subtle syncopation of early jazz. The racial division was terrifyingly evident at that time in social history and the music was viewed in a similar separatist manner. Ragtime music first emerged around the turn of the 20 th century with its foremost exponent being the pianist and composer Scott Joplin.īefore embarking on a closer look at the music it is perhaps useful to be aware that Ragtime as a musical form is a perfect blending of black jazz music with white marching band music. Despite such flashes of value, this is a slapdash effort, and one would be curious to know the copyright status of the only slightly altered logo from the film Ragtime (1981) that appears on the cover of the tin.This article will take a quick tour through a variety of some of the most well-known ragtime tunes for piano. This was Joplin's very first published composition, and an advantage to the large selection of rags heard here is the inclusion of a group of early Joplin pieces (such as the sentimental A Picture of Her Face, a song here heard instrumentally) that are hard to find elsewhere. And the title of the Great Crush Collision march is given as Great Rush Collision. In the Stoptime Rag (CD 2, track 1), where Joplin clearly indicates the player should stamp one foot all the way through, the foot-stamping is heard only during the music's silences. Euphonic Sounds (CD 1, track 10) is usually taken on the mellow side, but the vigorous performance here actually works satisfactorily. On the other hand, the performer(s) miss the lyricism of works like the Gladiolus Rag (CD 3, track 6) and the tango Solace (CD 1, track 9). But all are straightforward, rather stolid performances that keep the tempo moderate there aren't any novelty piano or jazz performances, which is to the good. Some of the rags are played as notated (which is what Joplin specified), some with small ornaments (which is how he actually played them himself), and some with alterations in melody and voice leading (not desirable). At least two pianos are used, and probably more, although it's hard to tell whether some of the rampant sonic shifts might be due to engineering alterations. That's true of the performances, as well, which seem to have originated in several different times and places. So this collection, which originates in Quebec, is something of a random thing. These depict Southern musical scenes, and they're actually very inventive even if not terribly appropriate to the Missourian and urban-oriented Joplin. The metal box and cardboard CD insert are illustrated by one Hambone, described as a Creole Choctaw artist several postcards bearing his work are also included. No booklet is included, and the performer is not even credited, nor are any performers, for there seem to be more than one. It's hard to know what to make of the appearance of a three-disc set of Scott Joplin rags in a series of "music tins," most of which are directed at children.
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