/music/ - Music

The underrated rare sad ragtime.

William Bolcom had a bunch of great ragtime revival numbers!

A re-recording of Joseph John Davilla's 1919 iconic serial killer homage "The Mysterious Axeman's Jazz," a jaunty early Jazz/Stride tune requested by the Axeman of New Orleans himself in his famous letter to the editor:

"Hell, March 13, 1919

Esteemed Mortal:

They have never caught me and they never will. They have never seen me, for I am invisible, even as the ether that surrounds your earth. I am not a human being, but a spirit and a demon from the hottest hell. I am what you Orleanians and your foolish police call the Axeman.

When I see fit, I shall come and claim other victims. I alone know whom they shall be. I shall leave no clue except my bloody axe, besmeared with blood and brains of he whom I have sent below to keep me company.

If you wish you may tell the police to be careful not to rile me. Of course, I am a reasonable spirit. I take no offense at the way they have conducted their investigations in the past. In fact, they have been so utterly stupid as to not only amuse me, but His Satanic Majesty, Francis Josef, etc. But tell them to beware. Let them not try to discover what I am, for it were better that they were never born than to incur the wrath of the Axeman. I don‘t think there is any need of such a warning, for I feel sure the police will always dodge me, as they have in the past. They are wise and know how to keep away from all harm.

Undoubtedly, you Orleanians think of me as a most horrible murderer, which I am, but I could be much worse if I wanted to. If I wished, I could pay a visit to your city every night. At will I could slay thousands of your best citizens, for I am in close relationship with the Angel of Death.

Now, to be exact, at 12:15 (earthly time) on next Tuesday night, I am going to pass over New Orleans. In my infinite mercy, I am going to make a little proposition to you people. Here it is:

I am very fond of jazz music, and I swear by all the devils in the nether regions that every person shall be spared in whose home a jazz band is in full swing at the time I have just mentioned. If everyone has a jazz band going, well, then, so much the better for you people. One thing is certain and that is that some of your people who do not jazz it on Tuesday night (if there be any) will get the axe.

Well, as I am cold and crave the warmth of my native Tartarus, and it is about time I leave your earthly home, I will cease my discourse. Hoping that thou wilt publish this, that it may go well with thee, I have been, am and will be the worst spirit that ever existed either in fact or realm of fancy.

The Axeman"

Nice frantic, evil-sounding rag by William Bolcom.

Mischievous, really fast Bolcom rag.

Another solemn Bolcom rag.

The famous Michigan J. Frog song, one of the few cultural survivors of the now-largely-disregarded "Coon Song" subgenre of ragtime. This one is still appreciated today because it's racist in ways which don't even register anymore.

Honestly great piece of Australian novelty piano from 1911, unfortunately just rendered as a midi. Goofy spooky shit.

>>672
can i have the midi?

>>673
The MP3 is the same audio, it won't let me upload it as a .mid.

>>674
what about a zip?

the mp3 is the sound midi is the timing and velocity, basically how the keys were hit. so you can play other instruments with it.

>>675
Alright let's see if this works

>>676
Thanks broski!

>>677
Np anything for my rag bros

Scott Joplin's Treemonisha (1911) was his relatively obscure contribution to opera, and had very little, if anything, to do with ragtime… but still had just a little hint of black folk music incorporated into a couple numbers like "A Real Slow Drag," and so, to an extent, it presages Gershwin a bit in terms of mixing black folk/blues with classical influences in a theatrical context. The story is mildly fascinating in that it treads territory which is vaguely familiar to contemporary audiences; it's the story of a young, educated black woman triumphing over superstitious "conjurers," a group analogous to grifters or drug dealers led by a raggedy bokor-like witch doctor. I tried to put it on once and I found it pretty dull, but the opening instrumental overture is pretty good.