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My inspiration for this rag came from two different places. When I was younger, I loved listening to Scott Joplin's ragtime music, and definitely wanted to write something in that style. Inspiration also came from my piano lessons in my sophomore year. I wanted to learn a ragtime piece, and came up with a list of a few Joplin pieces I thought would be fun to learn. My piano teacher suggested William Bolcom’s Grateful Ghost Rag instead of a more well-known Joplin Rag. Although I think more inspiration for the actual sound came from Joplin, both sources came together to create this piece.

Ragtime is one of the most distinctive styles of American music, characterized by syncopated rhythms. Those rhythms even led to the name of the genre as they create a ragged sound when they don’t line up cleanly with the beat. Joplin once said that ragtime should not be fast, but many modern ragtime composers and performers ignore this. I believe that Joplin rags should be played slower, but modern rags can be faster. This piece lies in that middle area between the slower speed preferred by Joplin and the breakneck pace favored by many current composers and performers.

The entire piece is based on a single theme. The melody in the right hand is very playful over a bouncy accompaniment in the left hand. The middle of the piece changes from major to minor, and sounds like a lament although it is still as energetic as the rest of the piece. It ends happily with a repeat of the first section. I originally wrote this piece to include in my sophomore composition portfolio.

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from The Senior Composition Recital of David Grossman, released June 27, 2019
David Grossman - piano

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David Lee Grossman Charleston, South Carolina

Inspired from a young age by Mozart to write music, and more recently John Williams to write soundtrack music, David Grossman began composing in 7th grade and already has a diverse portfolio encompassing many genres from baroque and classical to jazz to choral and vocal music. He is a graduate of Westminster Choir College (BM, Music Composition) and the Seattle Film Institute (MM, Film Music) ... more

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