Black Butterflies - Schwarze Schmetterlinge - Zwarte Vlinders

Key: A minor

See also: Schmetterling - Edvard Grieg [Jul 11]

Structure: INTRO AA BB A CC BB

An inspired A-section leads to a most lyrical B-section, a highpoint in his rags.

Original key: C Major.

Scandalous Thompson [Nov 14]
Dill Pickles [Apr 26]
A Black Smoke [Nov 08]
Cum Bac Rag [Apr 30]

Structure: INTRO AA BB A CC INTERLUDE-C '[INTERLUDE-C]

A marvelously polished and original rag concept for 1899.
The A-strain was quoted ten years later bij classic rag composer James Scott in his A-section of 'Great Scott Rag'.[Nov 11]
C-section is the most clever use of stop-time in a piano rag, making it difficult for the ear to perceive just where C begins and ends, thus the CC part of the rag one hears as a seamless continuum.
The overall structure was in the march-cakewalk traditional which was not frequently used in rags, probably because it is rather lengthy.

Original key: G major
'Scandalous' was a word to express appreciation.

Apple-Jack [Nov 15]
Dill Pickles [Apr 26]
A Black Smoke [Nov 08]
Cum Bac Rag [Apr 30]

Key: G Major

Wunderbar ! Wunderbar ! What a perfect night for love
Here am I, here you are
Why, it's truly wunderbar!
Wunderbar ! Wunderbar ! We're alone and hand in glove
Not a cloud near or far
Why, it's more than wunderbar

Oh, I care dear for you madly
And I long dear for your kiss
I would die dear for you gladly
You're divine dear and you're mine dear

Wunderbar ! Wunderbar ! There's our favorite star above
What a bright shining star
Like our love is wunderbar !

Structure: INTRO AA BB CC [B]B

A lovely rag filled with Scott's reworking of favorite ragtime devices.
The first two measures of A are identical with the opener of Chas. L. Johnson's 'Scandalous Thompson' of 1899.[Nov 14]
The B-section contains another variation of Joplin's B-section to 'Maple Leaf Rag', with the Scott echo effect interwoven.
The C-section has the interesting device of alternating the syncopation between the right and left hands, the bass in syncopated octaves similarly done in 'Kansas City Rag'.

"The Memphis Blues" is a song described by its composer, W. C. Handy, as a "southern rag".

Subtitled "Mr. Crump", "The Memphis Blues" is said to be based on a campaign song written by Handy for Edward Crump, a mayoral candidate in Memphis, Tennessee.

[Source: Wikipedia].

Structure: INTRO VAMP AA BB [C]C [D]D INTRO VAMP A

An imaginative Folk rag essay all in one key, but one which achieves surprising variety.
The introduction and vamp are extended ideas which leave no doubt that the home key is G major.
Section-A has syncopation crossing the bar line, a rarity in early rags, and has a rather complex stop-time ending.
Section-B, by contrast, uses a different syncopation and shorter phrasing.
Section-C is a buck-dance executed with careful dynamics in the call-and-response pattern.
Section-D has the cleverest harmonies, bringing in the relative minor (E).

Apple-Jack [Nov 15]
Scandalous Thompson [Nov 14]
Dill Pickles [Apr 26]
Cum Bac Rag

Structure: INTRO AA BB CC B[B]

A beautiful A-section flows directly into an imaginative B-section which teases with its insistent melody trying to escape from its confines.
The C-section is brilliantly original in phrasing which creates 1-measure breaks, such as jazz bands were to do on recordings ten years later.
Original key: C Major

Structure : INTRO AA BB A CC

Tempo di Drag

Key: Eb Major - Ab Major

Structure: AA BB A TRIO

Key: C Minor

Original key : D minor
Two Step and March.

We'se g'wine to have a spree - Come jine the Jamboree
Swell coons of high degree - Won't miss dis grand occasion
Check razors at the door - Don't bring them on the floor
If you get gay you'll be arrested sho's you born!

...which may be sung ad lib.

Intermezzo Indienne

Key: G Major

Allegretto - D minor
Marche Funèbre pour une Marionette - Cortège - Procession - Stoet
Abridged version

Reminding you of ...

Structure: INTRO AA B A TRIO A

Key: C Major

Modulation not in original score ( A-section : C - C - C - Db)

Structure : INTRO AA BB A TRIO

Original key C Major.

Key: B flat major.

I wish to thank Ted Tjaden for his website featuring 'hard to find ragtime piano sheetmusic'.

Structure : INTRO AA BB TRIO INTERLUDE AA

Key: C Major

Structure : INTRO AA BB A CC

Named after a popular hotel in the St. Louis sporting belt, this is a beautiful, melodic rag of the end of St. Louis ragtime and one of Stark's last publications.
Key: E flat major.
(Re-edited, slightly faster version).

Structure: VAMP B VAMP A CC VAMP A - Keys : A - a - D - A

Confreys second big hit; the amateur players fell all over themselves learning it.

Edward Elzear (Zez) Confrey : 1895 - 1971

Structure : INTRO VAMP AA BB INTRO VAMP A TRIO-INTRO CC

This is the 'Maple Leaf' of the Novelty rags. An instantaneous succes, it spawned dozens of imitators.
The basic ingredient is that ragtime cliché , "the three-over-four" pattern, but instead of single notes Confrey harmonizes and creates partial dissonance with the pattern in the right hand of an augmented fourth , a third and then a single note against the steady, even duple rythme of the left hand.
To insure the proper kitten-on-the-keys effect, Confrey said of the third section. "Be sure to scramble up the octaves in the part which is supposed to sound like a cat bouncing down the keyboard.
In other words, make a fist when simulating the cat running up and down, otherwise it won't sound real.
The B-section is a beauty . Confrey usually managed to have a ballad-like section, one which stressed melody, in at least one section of his rags.

(There are different versions...)

Structure: INTRO AA BB TRIO-INTRO C[C] D[D]

An original conception by a black Indianapolis composer who also worked in vaudeville and minstrelsy. C is especially beautiful as the syncopated patterns alternate between the bass and treble, rejecting the traditional ragtime bass. Section D breaks away with a burst of sixteenths - a fine touch.

Key: E flat Major

Eric Philip Severin : "This is the greatest number I have ever written, even surpassing my famous 'Jungle Time' Rag' ". [available Apr 23]

Key: Ab - Db

Key: G Major

Structure: INTRO AA BB CC A

Keys: F - Bb - Eb

The title may have been taken from the original caption of an advertisement used on the cover of 'Tickled to Death' of three happy children smiling.