Trying to identify an album of Scott Joplin music I had in the 1970s (classic, genre)

[Those Who Squirm]

In late high school and all through college, I became interested in ragtime piano and at one point got pretty good at it. I don't think there's a single piece I can play now, but back in the day I had about forty or so in my repertoire. At the time I had an LP of Joplin's music which must have just been released in the past two or three years, after The Sting came out and kicked off the ragtime revival of the 1970s.

Sometime around 1972 or '73 we got this Scott Joplin LP. All I can remember is that the sleeve was mostly dark, almost black, with a picture of Joplin on the front, and on the back a photo of the performer, whose name was Eric something, I thought it was Eric Rodgers, or Rogers, but I haven't been able to google him with that. In the liner notes which he himself wrote, he mentioned the antique piano he had used, and that it had candle holders.

As for the track listing, I can only remember a few of the tunes that were included, but they might help to identify this.

• Maple Leaf Rag
• Swipesy Cake Walk
• Harmony Club Waltzes
• Bethena
• Paragon Rag
• Magnetic Rag
• Pineapple Rag
• Solace might have been on there

Surpringly, The Entertainer was not included.

Also, I loved the way he played Magnetic Rag, and it was the model for my own interpretation when I used to play the piece. That's actually the main reason I'm opening this thread: I'm hoping I can find that recording online somewhere so I can hear it again.

I find it disheartening how most performers seem to take all the guts out of ragtime, especially with Joplin. They play well, but they usually seem desperate to tone down the beat and make it sound something more like Chopin. In the third strain of Magnetic, I know that Joplin didn't write in a walking bass, and yet the music positively screams for it. This Eric Somebody Or Other is the only other pianist besides myself whom I've heard play it that way.

[TonyT]

The album you are looking for was titled "The Music of Scott Joplin" (or alternately titled "Great Scott...The Music of Scott Joplin") with Eric Rogers as the pianist. It was released by London Records in 1974. It does not have a black cover but it does have a rendering of Joplin's face on the front of an upright piano. The track list is as follows: Maple Leaf Rag, Swipesy Cake Walk, Harmony Club Waltz, Pineapple Rag, Magnetic Rag, Scott Joplin's New Rag, Bethena, Paragon Rag, Solace.

I have never heard this particular album. When it comes to Joplin I've always preferred the interpretations of pianist Joshua Rifkin to others that I have heard.

[Ohiogirl81]

I had a cassette of Joplin music in the 80s that I absolutely adored, and can't find anything that sounds comparable. I have no idea who the pianist was, and can't remember what the cover looked like.

[Those Who Squirm]

Originally Posted by TonyT

The album you are looking for was titled "The Music of Scott Joplin" (or alternately titled "Great Scott...The Music of Scott Joplin") with Eric Rogers as the pianist. It was released by London Records in 1974. It does not have a black cover but it does have a rendering of Joplin's face on the front of an upright piano. The track list is as follows: Maple Leaf Rag, Swipesy Cake Walk, Harmony Club Waltz, Pineapple Rag, Magnetic Rag, Scott Joplin's New Rag, Bethena, Paragon Rag, Solace.

That's the one! Here it is on Youtube.

At least I remembered the pianist's name, but that didn't help me find the album; only the title did that.

Another thing I appreciate about this recording is that it includes a couple of waltzes, one of which is considered a classic of the genre even if it isn't exactly ragtime. This accurately reflects how a pianist of popular music would have performed in the years 1895 - 1915; it was never all ragtime all the time. Instead, waltzes, marches, and light classical numbers would have been played along with ragtime, one often influencing the other in style and execution. I would love to hear how Eric Rogers would have interpreted some of the marches, but there aren't any on this album.

I have never heard this particular album. When it comes to Joplin I've always preferred the interpretations of pianist Joshua Rifkin to others that I have heard.

I find Rifkin's interpretation too stately; it often sounds like a pastorale or nocturne. That works well for certain pieces like Fig Leaf, which really do lend themselves to that approach. But ragtime was first and foremost dance music and many of the published pieces were denoted as "two step" or "one step" dances on the covers. I think it's a fine thing that classical pianists wanted to give Scott Joplin his due, but ISTM most of them wanted to change it into a kind of light classical music, rather than a genre that became a popular rage and then went on to influence early jazz and blues, and thereby everything else in American popular music. They meant well, but you don't give a thing its due by taking away its guts.

I have to say something about Rifkin's interpretation of "Country Club", which I think is way too slow. I mean, the sheet music shows these folks on the cover, sitting on horses and all dressed out for hunting. (Apparently, foxhunting was something they once did at country clubs.) So we're about to go galloping over the fields with dogs barking and horns blowing, and Aunt Dahlia going "Yoicks" and "Tally ho!". The ethics of foxhunting aside, something vigorous and lively is about to take place. And the music as performed by Rifkin just doesn't reflect that. I think it's too slow even for golf, actually.

A pianist from the classical tradition whose interpretation of ragtime I really do like is William Bolcom. I also found his record, here.

The Eric Rogers and William Bolcom albums are both single long tracks on Youtube. A playlist for each would have been more convenient, but I'm happy to have the music available in any format. The truth is, I still have both LPs, away in a box somehwere, but I haven't even had my turntable set up in years.