FIVE RAGS

Over thirty of Scott Joplin's compositions are listed as 'rags' and they account for nearly half his catalogue. This is a selection of four of his Ragtime two-steps and a Cake walk (which is a similar step), thought to have been written in consecutive years from 1900 to 1904 when they were published.

'Swipesy' (1900) - The one example of a Cake walk in the collection, possibly written in the late 1890s. The title has been explained as the name given to the anonymous newsboy whose picture appeared on the cover of the printed music, looking "like he had just swiped something from a cookie jar."

The Easy Winners (1901) - Describes sporting competitors who win effortlessly. This has been described as one of Joplin's best works for its classically balanced progression from musical calm to intermittent agitation (So perhaps not quite such an easy win after all).

The Entertainer (1902) - A classic of ragtime which won worldwide popularity as the theme to the Oscar-winning film 'The Sting' in 1973, and continues to be probably Scott Joplin's most popular composition.

Weeping Willow (1903) - One of Joplin's simpler and lesser known pieces composed at a time of transition in his life. It is one of the few of his works to be recorded by the composer on a piano roll in 1916.

The Favorite (1904) - The 'IntroAABBACCDD' form of this last number is typical of several of Joplin's compositions and used by him throughout this collection.

In his preface James Rae says "Rather than producing simplified versions of the originals I have attempted to recreate them as if they were originally composed for saxophone with piano accompaniment."

• Swipesy
• The Easy Winners
• The Entertainer
• Weeping Willow
• The Favorite

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