Piano Roll Transcriptions

[fhimpsl]

"The Flyer Rag" by Frieda Aufderheide (related to the well known composer May Aufderheide but I forget how!) was originally considered as a roll unpublished in sheet music form. This piano roll transcription was done from a Connorized 65-note roll of the tune. During the 1980s the original sheet music turned up, and it has made several appearances since...but the roll transcription is a little more fleshed out.

Frank

Aufderheide - The Flyer Rag - Piano Roll Transcription.pdf

[fhimpsl]

Euday L. Bowman composed "12th Street Rag," certainly one of the most recorded and beloved rags of all time. He also wrote a number of other rags, all extremely good. Several were copyrighted as lead sheets and never published. These include "6th Street Rag" and "10th Street Rag." Another of the "street" rags; "11th Street Rag" was originally believed to be unpublished in sheet music form, but it actually was and has surfaced a number of times since its first discovery in the 1980s. I made a transcription based on Bowman's manuscript of "11th Street Rag" before the published sheet turned up. It differs considerably from the published version, although the first theme is essentially the same.

Frank

Bowman - 11th St. Rag - Transcribed From Ms..pdf

[fhimpsl]

I've previously posted George Botsford's piano-roll-only "Universal Rag." Here is the other piece which he composed that made it only onto piano roll, never in sheet music form. The "Buck-Eye Rag" really isn't a rag at all; it's a fast stop-dance. It needs to be played at a fairly quick tempo to sound like much! But, it's by George Botsford, one of our great ragtime composers!

Frank

Botsford - The Buck-Eye Rag - Piano Roll Transcription-Arrangement.pdf

[fhimpsl]

Clarence Woods only composed a few ragtime pieces, but what survives is top-notch. His "Slippery Elm Rag" is a ragtime masterpiece. However, in my opinion his very best composition was only published on piano roll, entitled "Black Satin - Fox Trot." When I heard this funky rag for the first time years ago I thought it was a previously unknown Euday Bowman rag. It has the quintessential Texas Ragtime "sound." Woods composed another rag which only appeared on piano roll entitled "Fever Heat - A Ragtime Novelty," but this piece isn't in the same leaque as "Black Satin" unfortunately! The roll of "Black Satin" is not hand played, and is in fact very highly arranged with filler effects. As a result I made a two-hand arrangement from the roll, always preserving the original melody line. Enjoy!

Frank

Woods - Black Satin - Piano Roll Transcription.pdf

[fhimpsl]

It seems fitting to end my run of original piano roll transcriptions with one of the greatest rags ever written, and by one of the greatest ragtime/stride pianists, James P. Johnson. Here is my transcription of JPJ's QRS piano roll of "Carolina Shout." This tune is so important to the history of stride piano....in Harlem's golden jazz age of the 1920s, every pianist who was anybody had to be able to rip off this monster. Enjoy!

Frank

Johnson - Carolina Shout - Piano Roll Transcription.pdf

P.S. This is the last of my transcriptions...the rest I have are all partial attempts. It's possible I might find another misplaced one someday, in which case I will certainly post it on PianoPhilia.

[fleubis]

Frank, thanks for these wonderful transcriptions and the additional historical information you supplied. These are very welcome addition to any ragtime/stride players library.

[fhimpsl]

Hi Fleubis,

You are most welcome! I am glad after all these years that the transcriptions are now in the hands of collectors, where they can be played and enjoyed.

All best,

Frank

[lebowl]

It seems fitting to end my run of original piano roll transcriptions with one of the greatest rags ever written, and by one of the greatest ragtime/stride pianists, James P. Johnson. Here is my transcription of JPJ's QRS piano roll of "Carolina Shout." This tune is so important to the history of stride piano....in Harlem's golden jazz age of the 1920s, every pianist who was anybody had to be able to rip off this monster. Enjoy!

Frank

Johnson - Carolina Shout - Piano Roll Transcription.pdf

P.S. This is the last of my transcriptions...the rest I have are all partial attempts. It's possible I might find another misplaced one someday, in which case I will certainly post it on PianoPhilia.

I think it's interesting that the Johnson version of Carolna Shout(don't know from what year) that's given in "Harlem Stride Piano" is much simpler than the one given here. No tenths in the LH and less octaves, very few chords in the RH with more than three notes and far fewer octave passages.

[Ferruccio]

Frank, thanks for these wonderful transcriptions and the additional historical information you supplied. These are very welcome addition to any ragtime/stride players library.

My thanks do you have also. What an effort !!

[parag]

Many thanks Frank! Incredible work...

Regards,
Parag