Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info

End-of-Year Fundraising Drive In Progress. Please visit our home page to see this and other announcements: https://www.mmdigest.com     Thank you. --Jody

MMD > Archives > October 2010 > 2010.10.12 > 07Prev  Next


Scott Joplin's "Silver Swan Rag," a Lost Roll?
By Bob Kern

The "Silver Swan Rag" is available in the two-CD set entitled "The
Complete Rags Of Scott Joplin," played by William Albright (MusicMasters
1990).  The liner notes claim that the tune was "twice  released on
piano rolls around 1914-15".  The copyright, which dates to around 1970
when Silver Swan Rag was "discovered," apparently belongs to the Lottie
Joplin Thomas Trust.

The liner notes further conclude that, "since Joplin is known to have
cut other rolls at about the same time, it seems likely that the Joplin
attribution is not bogus.  On its own merits, it has enough Joplin
'signatures' to lend it some credence; but the piece also shows enough
imperfections to make  one think that Joplin purposely withheld it from
publication.  The third chorus, for example, is a fascinating but
flawed mongrel of modality and patchwork construction."

If you're a Joplin fan (and who isn't), this CD is for you!

Bob Kern


(Message sent Tue 12 Oct 2010, 13:17:58 GMT, from time zone GMT-0400.)

Key Words in Subject:  Joplin's, Lost, Rag, Roll, Scott, Silver, Swan

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page