The Rags Thread

[gigiranalli]

Hello everybody,
today I'll post an English ragtime composition from 1915, entitled "Hors D'Oeuvres"...maybe the piece was used as a starter, an "appetizer" for anything better?
I don't know, but it sounds rather good itself!
I'm also including a recording of this piece played by Joe Fingers Carr (Lou Busch), who really improved it.
Enjoy the music!

Joe Fingers Carr - Hors D'Oeuvres.mp3

Comer, David - Hors D'Oeuvres.pdf

Luigi

[remy]

Thanks Luigi.

Delightful!


jeremy

[gigiranalli]

Thanks Luigi.
Delightful!

jeremy

You're welcome, Jeremy!
Today I'm posting a rare rag by John Tenney, entitled "Kentucky Rag": it's a very scarce piece and I struggled to find it...
I had asked several people and finally a friend, a great pianist and big collector, provided a copy of this to me.
It's a very good one and I hope you'll enjoy it!
There were several other Kentucky Rags, including an unpublished one by Verdi Karns, of which I have a copy somewhere, and another one composed by Marcella Henry that can be found online, on Ted Tjaden's website:
http://www.ragtimepiano.ca/images/kentuckyrag.pdf
Then there's another one that I'm including, by talented Floyd Willis, and I hope you'll like it!

Tenney, John - Kentucky Rag.pdf

Willis, Floyd - Kentucky Rag.pdf

Luigi

[gigiranalli]

Today I'm posting a not so common piece composed by the great Luckey Roberts and entitled "Helter Skelter".

Roberts, Luckey - Helter Skelter.pdf

This is one of the pieces that I found in a local library in Milan, Italy.
In fact, although ragtime never really became very popular here in my Country, it's possible to find original sheet music from the period of several American and European rags also in Italian libraries.
Said that, I invite everybody here who's downloading the rare rags that Frank Himpsl (whose contribution is immense!), Benjamin Intartaglia, Martin (honkytonkpiano), Tobyjj, myself and very few others are posting to contribute some pieces like we're doing: if you spend a weekend in a big library in the most important cities in your Countries you can certainly find some rare rag...maybe even a piece that hasn't been discovered before!
That would be very important from an historical point of view. And if you live in the U.S.A. especially or even in England (I know there are several English members here) or in Germany there are many possibilities that your local libraries own ragtime rarities!
By the way, I'd also like to ask around about a few rags I'm looking for, hoping that anybody can help:
1) "Round-Up Rag" (Con Conrad; Jay Whidden) - 1911 - F. A. Mills, Inc., Music Publisher;
2) "Levee Rag" (Charles Mullen) - 1903 - Will Rossiter (I had posted the Tyers arrangement in the "Rag Bag" folio, but I don't have the original in C major);
3) "Silence And Fun" (Charles Mullen) KEY OF Db (the version in C major is common and also downloadable here: http://purl.dlib.indiana.edu/iudl/lilly ... 05-0311-01 );
4) "Alhambra Rag" (Roy Steventon; C.M.Haigh) - 1910 - Steventon & Haigh;
5) "Rabbit Foot Rag" (Al Harriman) - 1910 - Al Harriman (that's not the Cobb rag);
6) "Glide Away Rag" (Frank Keithley) - 1910 - Keithley-Joy Music Company;
7) "The St. Louis Society Dance" (Walter Haenschen; Arthur Beyer) - 1911 - Walter G. Haenschen;
8) "Suwanee River Rag" (Charles Mullen)...I don't know if this exists, but I'm a Mullen fan so I try...
If anybody can help me with any of these titles that would be much appreciated! Thanks!
Luigi

[tobyjj]

Thanks Luigi,

I'm hoping to find time over the Christmas break to properly database and consolidate my rag collection.
I'll keep my eyes skinned for your requests - maybe some other gems will re-emerge.
Sadly, I have already established that a "back-up" CD with hundreds of obscure titles has already gone permanently missing.
Not much point in backing up data if you lose the back-up discs, is there ?!

In the meantime,
Happy Christmas everyone.

Regards,
tobyjj

[fhimpsl]

Dear Luigi,

I will need to spend some time searching through my scattered collection, but am pretty sure I can provide you with a copy of the Db "Silence And Fun." Also, I have "Glide-Away Rag" which I'm posting here as an attachment. I possibly have "Alhambra Rag" and the first "Levee Rag", but here I'm relying on my fading memory and will need to check to be certain. I have a 65-Note piano roll that is entitled "The New St. Louis Dance Medley,"arranged by one J.H. Hughes. The first tune on the roll is "Coronation Dance" by composer Goldman (maybe Maxwell Goldman?), and the second tune on the roll is the "St. Louis Society Dance" by Gus Haenschen which you are looking for. Fortunately enough I had recorded this roll once in midi format and can attach it for you as well. Speaking of Luckey Roberts (with many thanks for "Helter Skelter,") did you know that the original title for "Tremolo Trot" was "The Litte Corporal?" The Library of Congress copyright sheet is under the latter title, although the music is identical to "Tremolo Trot."

Enjoy...I'll try and find out some more soon.

All Best,

Frank

Keithley, Frank C. - The Glide Away Rag.pdf

5482V_eRollMIDI.mid

[porilo]

Hi! As Christmas is approaching I wondered whether there are any "Christmas Rags" available for sharing? Does anyone know if any such rags exist?

[tobyjj]

Hi,

I think there are probably quite a few Christmas theme rags - depending on how far you stretch the Christmas theme.
Just off the top of my head -
e.g. "Snowball Club
Reindeer Rag
Jack Frost Rag

However as a starter and simply because they were easy to locate : -

Christensen, Axel - Auld Lang Syne - (Syncopated).pdf

Leroy Anderson - Sleigh Ride piano solo .pdf

(You have to stretch the definition of rag for that one - but never mind)

Reindeer Rag - Joseph lamb.pdf

Stokes, Nellie M - Snowball Rag.pdf

Vokoun, Fred - Santa Claus (March & 2 Step).pdf

Let's see what else comes along.

Regards,
tobyjj

[tobyjj]

Some more,
wrong forum for some of these perhaps, but fits the seasonal sub-theme

Mayerl - Christmas Medley.pdf

Merry_Christmas_March.pdf

regards,
tobyjj

[tobyjj]

Again,

Some more - in seasonal vein,

Francis, E.W. - Cracker Jack Rag.pdf

Haskins, Will R. - Jack Frost Rag.pdf

And of course lots of turkey rags / trots /glides
Gravy rags
Appel Sass
etc.

No other contributors?

rgrds,
tobyjj