Vera Guilaroff improvises Scott Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag 1926

[jrufurj]

This song sounds horrible at this tempo. Any faster than 230 (115) and it's just messy and ugly. I guess I'm a little late to be critiquing the performance though. :p

[jrufurj]

Awful! Why the HECK is it so fast!? Man, thanks for turning an amazing piece into garbage.

[KawhackitaRag]

I only have one question: why are there no clear photos of Vera Guilaroff in this montage? I can send you one to include if you want.

[jsteeber]

Oddly enough, I have an alternate take of this performance and have been looking for this particular "Vera" ever since I returned a record to the library a good 30 years ago. Thanks for posting this.

[Noshirm]

Fantastic!!!

[Velostigmat]

She plays with more drive and imagination than half the classical pianists now!

[KawhackitaRag]

You're right! Plus she's adding and changing a lot in the score.

There are a few modern classical pianists who do it right (and, not coincidentally, are familiar with semi-classical and popular pianists of the '20s as well as vintage performance practice).

Check out Marc-Andre Hamelin.

[kspm01]

Although i agree this is a little on the quick side, it's a brilliant performance, thank you.

[KawhackitaRag]

I think this is what Scott Joplin meant when he wrote "It is never right to play [his] ragtime fast". If you compare with the first recorded version of this, by the U.S. Marine Band in 1906, you will see what "tempo di marcia" (march tempo) is supposed to be! It is not slow, but then again it is not as fast as here. Still, great chops, and nice quote of Harry Thomas' "Delerious Rag" at 2:07-2:09 in the video. I like this rendition a lot more now than when I first heard it.

[otterhouse]

In 1903, Wilbur Sweetman and his band recorded the Maple leaf rag for a small wax cylinder compagny. But altough it was commercially released, no copies have turned up so far...

Rolf

[KawhackitaRag]

This is a fairly early piano recording of this tune! As far as I know, the earliest known recorded piano solo of "Maple Leaf Rag" was made by Lionel Belasco in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, in 1914. Unfortunately this recording was never released and I have no idea if copies exist. The second piano recording of it was made by none other than Willie Eckstein, in 1923 (and is a FANTASTIC rendition). I believe Ms. Guilaroff's 1926 rendition is the 3rd or 4th piano recording of it. Thanks for the post!

[Morahman7vnNo2]

Can you hear the "Novelty" in there!?