Another Piano Medley of Scott Joplin Ragtime

I’ve long been a fan of the ragtime melodies of Scott Joplin. A prominent musicologist wrote of Joplin’s rags that they “are the precise American equivalent, in terms of native style of dance music, of minuets by Mozart, mazurkas by Chopin or waltzes by Brahms.” Each of his 50-plus compositions contains at least four different tuneful melodies.

  Back in 2007 I recorded a piano album (titled “A SALUTE TO RAGTIME – Jim Freund Plays the Euphonic Melodies of Scott Joplin”), containing excerpts from 39 of his tunes, with detailed liner notes about both the man and many of his compositions.

             One of my first musical blog entries (June 2021) was a tribute to Joplin, containing one melody from each of a dozen Joplin tunes. For this current entry (which runs about 27 minutes) I’ve selected excerpts from a dozen other Joplin tunes, including the entire score of one of my favorite Joplin pieces, Leola.

             The dozen tunes are presented in this order:

1.     Wall Street Rag

2.     The Favorite

3.     Bethena

4.     A Real Slow Drag

5.     Stoptime Rag

6.     Weeping Willow

7.     Chrysanthemum

8.     Sugar Cane

9.     Felicity Rag

10.  The Strenuous Life

11.  Kismet Rag

12.  Leola

  You’ll note that, in contrast to many fine pianists who play Joplin melodies at a quick tempo, I play these in a much slower fashion. In that regard, I’m not only trying to emphasize the soulfulness I discern in the music (as well as give my fingers a break!), but I also believe I’m following the spirit of the composer. On the sheet music for many of his works, Joplin wrote this or a similar warning at the top of the first page. Notice! Don’t play this piece fast. It is never right to play ‘ragtime’ fast.” Author. (You can tell by the way I speed up the final melody of Leola that it really gets me energized.)

  I hope you enjoy this musical tribute.