29 / 12 / 02

Look out for some obscure new additions in the New Year - mostly from New Zealand composers of the 1900-1920 period. I have 'Coronation March', by Harry Hiscocks, 'Jean' by the mysterious 'Fredarita', composed in honour of New Zealand aviatrix Jean Batten's record-breaking solo flight from England to NZ in the 1930s (words included in MIDI file), and 'Waikato March' by Thomas S. Webster, in progress. (Click the titles for a sample of the unfinished MIDI!)

Please do SIGN MY GUESTBOOK - I love to hear from you all! Once again, best wishes for the upcoming year, and I hope you enjoy the music!

Slippery Fingers
A Piano Novelty
Henry Steele, 1926

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A fantastic piece that I picked up in an antique shop one day - I've never heard of it before, and haven't managed to find mention of it in any reference material. The sheet music proclaims Henry Steele to be 'Solo Pianist, "The Brightens" Corner House Orchestra"', and the piece was copyrighted in London, England - that's the only information I have! Regardless, this is a fascinating, lively, energetic piece - Steele must have been quite a pianist!

Georgia Echoes
Two-Step Characteristic
E. Harry Kelly, 1903

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E. Harry Kelly (1879-1955) is best known as the composer of the superb 'Peaceful Henry', (written when he was just 22 years old!) and this piece is rather a poor cousin, although pleasant enough. The cover is vibrant and elegant, as seen above. A good biography of Kelly can be found by clicking here

Sheet music supplied by Rob Crausaz

Silver Maple
March and Two Step
J.P Traxler (arr. Hattie Burgett), 1905

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This delightful rag, which is Traxler's only other known composition (see "Ticklish Rag"), was recently discovered by this ragtimer while looking at the precursor of the "Catalog of Copyright Entries". The arranger, Harriet (Hattie) Ada Burgett (1884-1940), who married Frank Raymond just two months after this piece was copyrighted, was a gifted, classically trained pianist who still had several original compositions and arrangements stored in her attic as late as the 1930's. It's not known if any of these were rags, as they were all lost shortly after her premature death.


Notes and sheet music supplied by Rob Crausaz

View photographs of Traxler and Burgett!

Hop Lee
 A Chinese Cake Walk For Piano
Ellis R. Ephraim, 1901


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A wonderful cakewalk that features a lot of cliches prevelant in music of the time that attempted to evoke the spirit of the Orient. 'Hop Lee' isn't always sucessful - ends up sounding more Irish a lot of the time to my ear! A catchy tune, regardless.

Sambo At The Cake Walk
Coon March and Two Step
(A Darktown Jingle)
Alfred C. Marks, 1896

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A very short (40 second!) early cakewalk with a particularly catchy 'A' strain that is obviously the work of a skilled composer. The piece is dedicated to John Phillip Sousa. You'll also notice the title and the spelling of Sousa's name manage to change slightly in between the cover and first page!

Just Noise
A Real Rag
C. I. Stewart, 1906

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A typical 'potboiler' of the period.

While sequencing this piece, I had to wonder if the title of this piece is a joke - perhaps poking a little sarcastic fun at the fact that this rag will sell, even though has little artistic merit - perhaps the composer thought rags were little more than 'just noise'!

Fuss and Feathers
A Genuine Rag
J.C. Halls, 1918

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A typical rag apart from its publication date - very late in the ragtime era - Joplin was dead, ragtime was fading from popularity, it's place in the public heart usurped by the new 'jass' music purveyed by such artists as Handy and Morton. However, it's a pleasant enough piece, perhaps the highlight being the 'B' section, which returns in a different key to round out the piece. Publisher Harry J. Lincoln was a prolific and successful composer of the time, producing such classics as the "Respaz Band March". The cover, by H.R. Smith displays the American public's changing view of Black Americans - gone are the grotesque carictures of the 1890s and 1900s sheet music covers, replaced by a stylish and elegant couple in their finery!