Back to Life by Charles Hunter.

[Steve Harrison]

This is a an interesting rag by Charles Hunter, it has an unusual key change which in theory shouldn't work but  sounds OK. The midi and score are in the Library..Steve. 

[Trapdoor2]

Wow, odd modulation for sure. Gmaj to Cm (I think)...which sounds ok but the transition back to Gmaj sounds a bit weird. The whole thing sounds a bit 'vague' due to these key changes. I'm left wondering if there isn't some odd modality (apart from the standard "major" & "minor" modes) at work here.

[Steve Harrison]

There's an interesting mini bio of Hunter on Wikipedia, this was his last composition before his death from TB in 1906.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Hunter_(composer)

Trapdoor2 said:

Wow, odd modulation for sure. Gmaj to Cm (I think)...which sounds ok but the transition back to Gmaj sounds a bit weird. The whole thing sounds a bit 'vague' due to these key changes. I'm left wondering if there isn't some odd modality (apart from the standard "major" & "minor" modes) at work here.

[Jody Stecher]

The modulation is actually even weirder than you describe, Marc. I like it! The first part begins in E minor and moves into G major. Same key signature.  So much for the key of One Sharp. But then it moves into E Flat Major (3 flats, the relative major of C minor) and from there it goes back into One Sharp, and repeats the melody that begins in E minor. There's  nothing Modal happening here, this is harmonic music all the way. But it's very clever. From a chord point of view, E flat major (the chord) is comprised of E flat, B flat and G natural. When it moves to E minor (the chord, which is E natural, B natural and G natural)  the E and the B each come up a half step and the G holds steady. The earlier modulation, from G major to E flat major is very common. As you say, that change is not so strange. But the switch back is decidedly odd. But good.

[Trapdoor2]

Thank you, Jody. I have never been able to suss out this sort of stuff. My ears hear these modulations but my brain can't explain it!

[thereallyniceman]

It should be child's play on the banjo... it seems to be on the piano !! 

 

[Trapdoor2]

That just makes me feel ill. At that age, I was excited that I could play "Chopsticks" using both hands (one finger each).

[Mike Moss]

[Bad memories of piano lessons]One shudders to imagine how many inhuman hours of piano lessons lie behind that performance... what dreams of chronic and sustained cruelty![/Bad memories of piano lessons]

Amazing performance, though!

[Steve Harrison]

A humbling performance for sure from one so young....When I did the arrangement, I transposed it from F to G as the second section was in Db and would have been a bit of a challenge on the banjo...Steve.

Mike Moss said:

[Bad memories of piano lessons]One shudders to imagine how many inhuman hours of piano lessons lie behind that performance... what dreams of chronic and sustained cruelty![/Bad memories of piano lessons]

Amazing performance, though!