[Scott Joplin's Treemonisha; Original Cast Recording; Polygram 435709 (1992)]
Monday, October 6, 2008
THE KING OF RAGTIME
By Larry Karp
Poisoned Pen. 296 pp. $22.95
As this quirky little novel begins, it is August 1916 and black composer Scott Joplin, the King of Ragtime, has fallen on hard times. His glory days are long past. He's living in Harlem and is increasingly incapacitated by syphilis: "His brain didn't work right anymore because he once upon a time lay down in bed with the wrong woman." Although he's not yet 50, his memory is failing, his hands shake and fits of anger interrupt his frustrating attempts to write a symphony. On top of everything else, he's convinced that Irving Berlin, the 28-year-old boy wonder of popular song, stole one of his musical themes and made it the basis of Berlin's first great hit, "Alexander's Ragtime Band." [Full Post]
Comment by AfriClassical:
Larry Karp is not alone in viewing Scott Joplin as an important composer. Joplin sought to have ragtime recognized as a serious art form, and he composed classical works, including three operas. None were performed in his lifetime, but the opera "Treemonisha" was premiered by Morehouse College in 1972. The opera's professional premiere is considered to be the one orchestrated later by Gunther Schuller for the Houston Grand Opera, whose original cast recording of "Treemonisha" is still in print, on Polygram 435709 (1992). Harold C. Schonberg reviewed "Treemonisha" for The New York Times on Jan. 30, 1972. He was particularly entranced by the final song, "A Real Slow Drag", of which he wrote: "This slow drag is amazing. Harmonically enchanting, full of the tensions of an entire race, rhythmically catching, it refuses to leave the mind. Talk about soul music!" Scott Joplin is among 52 classical composers and musicians of African descent who are profiled at my website, AfriClassical.com. Donna Britt wrote about the website in a very favorable piece which began with a discussion of the African American wind quintet The Imani Winds. The article's title was "When Life's Music Is Heard Only In Stereotype". It appeared in The Washington Post on Feb. 25, 2005. Ms. Britt was kind enough to call AfriClassical "a vibrant Web site". Sincerely, William J. Zick
Reply by Patrick Anderson:
Thanks for your message. You'll find that Karp's book says a lot more about Joplin's operas and his great talent that I was able to discuss in the review. PA
Scott JoplinKing of Ragtime
Larry Karp
Patrick Anderson
Treemonisha
A Real Slow Drag
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