"Graceful Ghost Rag"
By John Grant
Hello Larry (and List readers),
> From: toto@mammo.pndr.upenn.edu (Larry Toto)
> To: rolls@foxtail.com
>
> Subject: Re: Automatic Music Digest 96.02.18
>
> There is a beautiful, mournful rag written by William Bolcom called
> Graceful Ghost Rag. Does this piece exist on a piano roll? It was
> published in 1967 and is recorded by Nonesuch Records. I have spoken
> to the fellow at Keystone Piano Rolls and see no listing in the QRS
> or Playrite catalogs. Any leads on this one?
>
> Thanks,
> Larry Toto
Well, do I have a deal for you! A few years ago I too became enchanted by Bolcom's "Graceful Ghost Rag". A local radio commentator (Paul Duke/WETA FM) used a recording of this by Paul Jacobs as a theme song. Finding no roll performances of it available, I took (MIDI) keyboard in hand and produced a MIDI file (by the step entry method, not hand playing.) In the process I discovered that Graceful Ghost is but one composition of a trilogy called "3 Ghost Rags", all composed, I understand in honor (or memory) of Bolcom's father. In for a penny, in for a pound, so I constructed files of the other two pieces as well, "Dream Shadows" and "The Poltergeist Rag Fantasy". I sent these files on floppy disk (nowadays I would "modem" them) to Richard Tonnesen in Texas, and received in due course, wonderful perforated paper rolls ready for playing! Richard did a few sets which I sold at the mart at the AMICA convention 2(?) years ago in Chicago. I have four sets of the three rolls left which I will sell for $35/set postpaid. Unless the demand would justify another perforator run, these will probably be all that will be cut. If you (or anyone else) is interested in a set, let me know.
BTW, the Graceful Ghost roll is faithful to the notated rhythm of the original chart which is characterized by eighth note figures in the left hand, and this is pretty much the way Bolcom himself plays it on his (audio) recording of it. The Jacobs performance, however, has a delightful lilting "swing" to these figures, making them almost dotted eighth/16th figures, something I was unable to easily duplicate in the manner in which I constructed the files. Regardless, the pieces are enjoyable, and unavailable elsewhere to my knowledge. "The Poltergeist" in particular is a real "knuckle buster". -John Grant |
(Message sent Wed 21 Feb 1996, 07:15:01 GMT, from time zone GMT-0800.) |
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