Weeping Willow Rag (1911)..Harry Augustus Fischler

[Steve Harrison]

This is quite different from the Joplin tune of the same name, it's a melodic rag in C minor/E flat, A flat. Most of it is in single notes, there's a minimal use of chords making it not hard on the fingers.  Note the 'rit' (ritardando) command for bars 28 and 29, this indicates a gradual slowing of the melody. This followed by 'a tempo' at bar 30 which indicates a return to the original tempo. This can be heard in the midi.  The score and midi are in the library

[Trapdoor2]

A delight! Somehow, I always find it weird to be looking at 3 and 4 flats for "banjo music".

I do like stuff in Cm...and this is no exception.

re: rit/a tempo

I play viola with a local string "adult amateur orchestra" and we are currently working on a Christmas holiday piece that is simply chock full of such stuff. Getting all of us together for tempo changes is a miserable task...thankfully our 'concert mistress' is very patient!

Well done again, Steve!

PS what is up with the lady's hair in the cover art? Is it sprouting from the top of her hat?

[Steve Harrison]

Hi Marc, I've always liked playing in Eb/Ab, I have large hands and I find that in those keys, everything seems to fit my hands very well. The same is true when I play my piano accordion because of the way the black and white notes are grouped together on the keyboard....Steve.  

Trapdoor2 said:

A delight! Somehow, I always find it weird to be looking at 3 and 4 flats for "banjo music".

I do like stuff in Cm...and this is no exception.

re: rit/a tempo

I play viola with a local string "adult amateur orchestra" and we are currently working on a Christmas holiday piece that is simply chock full of such stuff. Getting all of us together for tempo changes is a miserable task...thankfully our 'concert mistress' is very patient!

Well done again, Steve!

PS what is up with the lady's hair in the cover art? Is it sprouting from the top of her hat?

[Jody Stecher]

One of my mandolin students has composed a tune in the ungodly key of E flat minor.  I wrote it out in staff notation. It's not very hard to play on mandolin but it is an absolute bear to read. SIX flats!! The score looks terrifying.