January 2, 201016 yr Here's a "classic" rag I composed recently as a birthday present. I'm considering transposing it up a semitone, from its keys of Gb and Cb, to G and C. I'd really appreciate some feedback on any aspects of this piece. (Also, I apologize for the bad tuning of my piano and my own performance mistakes.) One For Mom
January 2, 201016 yr That was fantastic!!! Wow, you have some serious talent for creating rags. That sounded just as good as Scott Joplin himself. You're playing was great, and the score is incredibly clean and organized. The piece was immensely fun to listen too. Great work, your mother must be proud!
January 2, 201016 yr Very Nice. Sounds professional and fun. Wish I could play piano as clear as that. I don't know much/anything about ragtime music, so I'll leave all the technical jargon to people who they know what they are talking about. However to me it sounds like an awesome performance and composition. Thanks for sharing
January 2, 201016 yr Very fun to listen to. A lot of my earlier works composed were ragtime, so I can surely appreciate this type of music. I didn't notice any dominant theme, but the fact that you were able to still make this enjoyable to listen to is an accomplishment. Also, very nice playing. Being able to perform your own composition is a good feeling isn't it?
January 6, 201016 yr OH...MY...GOD! :D Every now and then an historicist composer shows up here at YC and just blows me away...and it's just happened. This is so exciting! This is sensational! Dude, you're an absolute master at this idiom! You've managed to break away from the Joplin mold (not that emulating Joplin would be a bad thing) and form a wonderfully personal style, while retaining period-correctness. Not an easy thing to do, but you've done it, and wonderfully. So many things to love about this piece...you had me from the very first bar. Elegant, natural syncopations, but with a few very nice surprises...sophisticated melodic material and harmonies...bass line solid, leading and framing the harmony just as it should do. My favourite moment in the whole piece was the whole first strophe (16 bars) of the C-flat major section - delightful! Nice playing, too...loved your authentic embellishments; not everyone has the guts (or the knowledge of period techniques) to do that. I'm almost afraid to ask, but if you have a second, I'd be curious to know what you think of a rag I wrote a few weeks ago. It was my first composition in the form/sttyle, so it's nothing like this accomplishment, but still I'd love to know your opinion. Here's da link: Harlem Nights - A Ragtime Two-Step Cheers!
January 7, 201016 yr Cool! It's definitely a ragtime piece. I like it. Sounds very Tom and Jerry like. Good work :happy:
January 7, 201016 yr I'm considering transposing it up a semitone, from its keys of Gb and Cb, to G and C. Don't! The work is perfect as-is, the key is absolutely reminiscent of traditional ragtime and thoroughly pleasant to listen to... Great job performing it, too! That's all. - AA :)
January 10, 201016 yr Author Thanks very much for the kind words and input! I will keep it in the keys of Gb and Cb then. To Mr. Graham: I'm glad you like the trio! I wrote this piece away from the piano, while on a long bus ride, so I had some fun thinking up the last 4 bars of that theme. I went and listened to your "Harlem Nights," and left a comment with my thoughts. Thanks again! Best, Max.
January 14, 201016 yr Oh wow... My bro and I like to discuss and analyze music. Over-generally speaking, there are 3 basic types of music: emotionally-charged music, intellectually stimulating music, and music that merges the two. And then...there is ragtime... It is none of the three...and it just...IS. It just IS. And it is perfection put in music. It just...IS. Absolutely fantastic, thanks for sharing! This is going under my favorites list, for sure! :D :D :D
January 14, 201016 yr Author Oh wow... My bro and I like to discuss and analyze music. Over-generally speaking, there are 3 basic types of music: emotionally-charged music, intellectually stimulating music, and music that merges the two. And then...there is ragtime... It is none of the three...and it just...IS. It just IS. And it is perfection put in music. It just...IS. Absolutely fantastic, thanks for sharing! This is going under my favorites list, for sure! :D :D :D Thanks for your remarks! :) I have to agree on your thoughts about ragtime. And you are VERY lucky to have a brother who is so enthusiastic about music! I wish I did. Thanks again, Max.
January 31, 201016 yr Really pleasant and balanced. I continuosly visualize scenes from silent movies... the ritornellos are perfect because the first hearing is not enough, and the listener really want to hear the section again.
February 14, 201016 yr Hey Max! I remember you from Elite Syncopations! It's nice to see you're still composing! Anyway, I agree that this piece would lose its ability to fall under the hands if transposed. Nonetheless, it would be easier to read in F-sharp and B. That would get rid of the E-double flat chord in the opening (changing it to D-natural). As for the double-sharps that would occur, they are more efficient than double flats. They have their own symbol, distinct from two sharp signs. Anyway, it's a great piece that James Scott would no doubt have been glad to have composed! SAS
February 15, 201016 yr I'm not much of a rag-timer myself but wow. This is really, really good. I couldn't point to anything I could advice you to do better, this is just amazing. You have a serious talent at this ragtime thing :D
