Victor Victrola VV-X playing Maple Leaf Rag (banjo) by Vess Ossman

Maple Leaf Rag played on the banjo by Vess Ossman.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Victrola
• Maple Leaf Rag
• banjo

[fuzzbear6240]

Distancerunner, I'm jealous! ;-) That's a lovely oak VV-X you've got there. It appears to be about the same vintage as my mahogany one-mid to late teens. That's also a fantastic record! I have a re-issue of that recording United (A228)-it was actually the second video I ever did for YouTube. It's very poor quality. I very much enjoyed your video. Thanks for sharing it, I'm looking forward to more.

Regards, J.

[distancerunner]

Hi J, thanks for the kind words- looking forward to your future videos as well-

[Commentarian1]

@TuxedoRonny RIght said! Columbia machines are a class act, I have yet to own one. SIlvertone (Sears) ripped off Colombia so much by way of design. I really like to look through old magazines to see some of the phonograph ads, too.

[TuxedoRonny]

@Commentarian1

Sounds nice! Then again I've never heard a bad word said about a Victor machine. I've got a Columbia Grafonola that I like, but you know.... That and an off-brand portable (the one with the bakelite gear incedent.)

Either way they don't make anything like they used to!

[Commentarian1]

@TuxedoRonny If they did it was much later. Trust me, lol. I have had my share of phonograph screw ups. Victors from this era are the easiest to tinker with because the parts are bigger and they are all metal with the exception of gasketry and brakes which sometimes are just leather.

[TuxedoRonny]

@Commentarian1

Some models of phonograph use them for worm gears, I guess Victors don't then.

[Commentarian1]

@TuxedoRonny THe noise is normal for these victors. Not a bit of balekite in them.

[TuxedoRonny]

Great vid, but is it supposed to make that noise when you wind it up? I'm just concerned because one time I wound up a phonograph, and it made that noise too, 'cept on mine it turns out that the noise was the sound of all the teeth on a bakelite gear being ripped off.... O_o

Well, anywho I'm sure it's fine. Again, nice video, and phonograph!

[KawhackitaRag]

Most of the early Joplin rags, such as Maple Leaf, Peacherine Rag, etc. seem to suggest a medium fast tempo. A few such as Easy Winners seem more laid back. By 1903, Joplin's musical lyricism had progressed to a point where it seems as though his rags sound better at a slower tempo than usual. By about 1907-1909, Joplin's rags such as Gladiolus and Wall Street Rag seem to almost require a slow tempo. I think Ossman's recording of Maple Leaf here is right on the money and has a great groove.

[KawhackitaRag]

Nobody knows exactly how slow Joplin wanted his rags played. Brun Campbell, one of Joplin's students, recorded Maple Leaf only slightly slower than this. Several others who knew Joplin, such as Joe Jordan, suggested slower tempos than some of the old recordings BUT faster tempos than the way many of the modern-day classical pianists play ragtime.

Maple Leaf itself is marked "Tempo di Marcia" or march tempo, which is actually kind of fast in 2/4. Only his later rags are marked "not fast".

[Euphobia1]

Love it! I had a wind up gramophone all of my youth. Wish I still had it!

Scott Joplin liked everything played slow! I wonder if anyone told Ossman?

Great vid!