Posts Tagged ‘Ragtime’
Ragtime Sheet Music
November 13th, 2009
Ragtime!
Ragtime is an incredibly upbeat, jazzed-up, feel-good musical genre that was most popular between 1897 and 1918. It began as dance music in the red-light districts of several American cities lie St. Louis and New Orleans, even years before ragtime music was published as popular piano sheet music.
Known as the “King of Rag,” Scott Joplin became famous after his publication of “Maple Leaf Rag” in 1899. Maple Leaf Rag was a heavy influence on subsequent ragtime composers and their publications for years and years afterward because of the piece’s melody and harmonic progressions.
Here is my very own interpretation of Scott Joplin’s Maple Leaf Rag.
Advanced Piano
Scott Joplin: Collected Piano Works
If you are interested in stepping into the ragtime genre, there is no better composer to study than Scott Joplin. I recommend Scott Joplin: Collected Piano Works for a complete collection of Joplin’s greatest works, including rags, marches, and waltzes. This piano sheet music book has received a 5-star rating and is meant for those players who are in the early advanced stage of playing.
Ragtime Favourites by Scott Joplin – Piano Accompaniment
For those who are not quite advanced, but past the beginner stage, there are several arranged Joplin pieces to fit your level. Ragtime Favourites by Scott Joplin – Piano Accompaniment is meant for the medium-level piano player. It includes 36 pages of amazing rags that are not too difficult, but not too easy for those who need the challenge.
Joplin’s Greatest Rags For Easy Piano
Now, what if you’re just a beginner? You can still enjoy learning ragtime pieces. In my earlier piano days, I learned several easy ragtime pieces that were specifically arranged to for beginner piano players, with the same great sound of the original composition. If you’re looking for easy ragtime music, I really recommend Joplin’s Greatest Rags For Easy Piano. You don’t have to be an expert pianist to tackle these pieces.
The original publication of Maple Leaf Rag (which I played in the YouTube video) is a grade 9-level piece. When I first started learning this piece, I was studying for my grade 7 conservatory exam. This just goes to show that when you really want something, and you really discipline yourself to study the piece and practice often, you can achieve anything. Luckily, I was prepared with enough technical expertise and training to go beyond my grade-level to learn how to play this piece.
Elise’s Musical Tip For The Day:
Don’t be intimidated by the fast-paced movements and detached notes of the ragtime genre. If you are really interested in learning ragtime pieces, look at it as if it were a magnificent challenge, and don’t let anything hold you back. Focus on the easy or medium level Joplin pieces if you are not ready to tackle the original advanced compositions. You’ll be happy you did! Ragtime is one of the best genres of music that can help you feel happy, perky, and really good about yourself.
Posted in Easy Piano Sheet Music, Famous Composers, My Performances, Song Reviews | 
Tags: Maple Leaf Rag, Rag, Ragtime, Scott Joplin | 
No Comments »
Maple Leaf Rag by Scott Joplin
August 23rd, 2009
Before I started learning Debussy’s Clair De Lune, Maple Leaf Rag was my all-time favourite piece to play. Now, both are tied for first place. They’re both so different, but I don’t think I could choose between either of them.
Maple Leaf Rag was composed by Scott Joplin, an African-American composer and pianist from Texas during the first post-slavery generation. He is most known for his amazing ragtime compositions and was even dubbed “King of Ragtime.”
Scott Joplin (1867 - 1917)
He wrote 44 different ragtime pieces, one ragtime ballet, and two operas. Maple Leaf Rag was one of his first ragtime pieces, and it became ragtime’s first and most influential composition.
Scott Joplin possessed an incredible ability to improvise at the piano; a skill that defines music of jazz and ragtime genres. He was mostly inspired by the music that he was surrounded with, including gospel and spiritual music, dance music, plantation songs, syncopated rhythms, blues, and choruses.
In 1894, he moved to Missouri and began working as a pianist in the Maple Leaf Club and the Black 400. These were social clubs for “respectable black gentlemen.” In 1899, Joplin composed the original and first major hit, Maple Leaf Rag.
Maple Leaf Rag was an immediate success and served as a model for the hundreds of ragtime compositions to come in the future. As the first instrumental to sell over one million copies of sheet music, Maple Leaf Rag really put Joplin right on the top of the list of ragtime performers, and even moved ragtime into a popular musical form.
Although Joplin composed over 40 ragtime pieces, many did not get the exposure they probably deserved as compared to Maple Leaf Rag. Joplin apparently realized that his music was ahead of its time, and he came to the conclusion that he would not be much of a popular hero during his own lifetime.
Joplin once said, “When I’m dead twenty-five years, people are going to recognize me.” Thirty years later, he was indeed recognized. Historian Rudi Blesh wrote a large book about ragtime, which he dedicated to the memory of Scott Joplin, “King of Ragtime.”
I absolutely love listening to Joplin’s ragtime pieces, and of course, Maple Leaf Rag is my favourite. I can play the entire piece, except for two lines which I skipped learning years ago because I was in a hurry to learn the piece for a piano recital. I had to skip a section in order to make good time for practicing. I’m learning it now, and I’m hoping it won’t take too long to master. It will be a real achievement once I can play the entire piece, including the section I skipped.
Elise’s Musical Tip For The Day:
A lot of people focus on the few popular genres in piano music, such as classical, contemporary, popular, and jazz. I’d like to encourage people to listen to some ragtime pieces, and even expand on that by trying to learn some through sheet music. Sometimes I think that a lot of people forget about ragtime because there are not as many pieces out there, and many piano players are intimidated by the quick-step rhythm of the pieces. The music also has a really “old” feel, and even kind of a goofy personality to it. Usually, when you hear ragtime music, it’s paired up with a video clip of a fast-forwarded black and white historical clip. Ragtime, in my opinion, is a bit of neglected genre in piano these days, and I definitely plan on learning more ragtime pieces in the near future. You can find Maple Leaf Rag and other works by Joplin in the book, Scott Joplin: Collected Piano Works by Scott Joplin.
Posted in Famous Composers, Song Reviews |
Tags: Maple Leaf Rag, Maple Leaf Rag Sheet Music, Ragtime, Ragtime Sheet Music, Scott Joplin |
No Comments »
My Favourite Classical Piano Pieces
August 15th, 2009
I’ve been practicing Clair De Lune all day today, and then I thought that I should write a few of my ultimate favourite classical pieces.
Clair De Lune by Claude Debussy. Of course. I’ve posted about this piece several times, mostly because it is my main project right now. I’m improving everyday and it feels great. This is, by far, one of the most beautiful piano pieces ever (in my opinion) and really enjoyable to play. I hope to have fully completed perfecting the piece within the next 2 to 3 weeks.
Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, op. 13—Sonata Pathétique (2nd Movement) by Ludwig Van Beethoven. This is the second (and most well-known) movements of three movements, which take about 19 minutes to play in total. The first movement is Grave (slowly with solemnity) and Allegro di molto e con brio (quickly, with much vigour). The third movement is Rondo: Allegro (quickly). The second movement, and my favourite, is Adagio cantabile (slowly, in a singing style). The second movements is the most recognizable, and I have about half or maybe even three quarters of the 2nd movement already.
Maple Leaf Rag by Scott Joplin. Ahh, yes. This is not quite a classical piece, as it comes from the ragtime era and was composed by Scott Joplin, who is known as one of the great ragtime composers of all time. This is a grade 9 piano piece and I learned it a few years ago to play during my very last piano recital. I was in a rush, so I had to skip a section on the third page. I’ve tried several times to go back and practice it, but I’ve never kept up with practicing this section. Once I have this one section done, I’ll be done the entire piece.
Waltz in D Flat Major, opus 64, No. 1—Minute Waltz by Frederyc Chopin. This is a fun piece to play. It’s very upbeat and fast, and was given the tempo marking “Molto vivace”. I like this piece because it sounds great and it really challenges my ability to keep up with the tempo. Out of all these pieces, this one is probably the one that I have practiced the least.
Nocturne No. 20, Op. Posth. in C Sharp Minor by Frederyc Chopin. I haven’t touched this piece in quite a while. I believe I had mastered the first page or page and a half, but I haven’t tried playing it lately. The tempo is Lento con gran espressione and most of the left hand plays arpeggios throughout the piece before shifting into a dreamy pianissimo. The piece then returns to its original state and ends again in C sharp minor.
Elise’s Musical Tip For The Day:
What’s your favourite classical piece? Even if you prefer to learn or listen to more contemporary, popular, jazz, or new age piano compositions, I think it’s hard to completely ignore classical. Piano music has evolved thanks some of the greatest classical composers of all time, and without them, much would be lost. Take the time to listen to some classical piano, it’s very relaxing and I think you’ll really learn to appreciate the classical side of piano!
Posted in Classical Piano, Song Reviews |
Tags: Beethoven, Chopin, Clair De Lune, Classical Music, Classical Piano, Classical Piece, Claude Debussy, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Movement, Ragtime, Scott Joplin, Sonata, Waltz |
No Comments »
