Maple Leaf Rag (1911)..Scott Joplin

[Steve Harrison]

Working on the principle that you can't have enough arrangements of a good tune I was requested by Carrie to arrange this in C for her. I'm sure that this has already been done by the world and his wife somewhere in banjoland but the only version we have in the library is one by Hal Allert in G. I took a fresh look at it working from the original piano score in Ab and have come up with this very playable result. I had to rewrite the ascending arpeggios in bars 7 and 8 as they stretched over 4 octaves. I got round it by changing the chord inversion each time and the result sounds fine to me. I've added plenty of my usual annotations to help navigate the score.The score and midi are in the library.

[carrie horgan]

Thanks gain Steve - yes, wasn't sure how to approach the ascending arpeggios in the first part.  Thanks for your help once again!

[Trapdoor2]

Somewhere in my stacks of decaying sheet music, I have a MS for a couple of sections of MPR by FVE. Sort of like back-of-the-envelope scribbling. It isn't the whole piece, but appears like FVE was writing out something someone couldn't quite suss out.

I've been clearing out the music room bit-by-bit. Opening U-Haul boxes, etc. I'll run across it eventually and scan it.

[thereallyniceman]

Like this?

[Trapdoor2]

Yes, except mine is just a section or two, on a scrap bit of paper. I think mine is dated in the 30s. Same chicken-scratch MS.

I have an Ossman arrangement that is in C/F. I'll post it for comparison.

[Trapdoor2]

Maple%20Leaf%20Rag%20-%20Ossman.pdf

[thereallyniceman]

I have just received this scan from our friend Richard Ineson.  Here is the Bill Bowen arrangement:

I hope that these are useful to you Carrie and thanks to Richard.

[Joel Hooks]

Thanks Steve!  As always, great work!

For a little perspective, the FVE arrangement from 1951 was first published in the 5 Stringer #88 of 1963.

The Bowen arrangement was first published in issue #94 1965. 

Technically both of these are still under "copyright"-- but I'll allow sharing like this unrestricted with one request.   It would be great if people would credit the ABF and the issue number of the 5 Stringer when they post or share.  It keeps it all together and helps people to know who made these treasures available.   There is usually notes about the music in the issues that is handy to have as well.

Back issues will be sent digitally to ABF members at no charge.  Sadly I have only scanned up to #184.  I am missing 1, 2, & 4.  So Issues 3 to 184 are available to members.  I'll get around to scanning the rest eventually.

The copy of Bowen's in the issue is better than the one Ian posted if anyone wants it shoot me an email for the full issue.

[Richard William Ineson]

Hi Joel, I'm sorry about not crediting the ABF with the Bowen arrangement but my excuse is that my copy is just part of a pile of music which somebody gave me some years ago, I didn't know that it had been published in the 5 Stringer and I don't have copy of the issue in which it was published. The other transcription in 'C' credited as being arranged by Ossman, which appears above, was done by me and was taken from a very tattered original hand written version by, I think, Horace Dover.

Joel Hooks said:

Thanks Steve!  As always, great work!

For a little perspective, the FVE arrangement from 1951 was first published in the 5 Stringer #88 of 1963.

The Bowen arrangement was first published in issue #94 1965. 

Technically both of these are still under "copyright"-- but I'll allow sharing like this unrestricted with one request.   It would be great if people would credit the ABF and the issue number of the 5 Stringer when they post or share.  It keeps it all together and helps people to know who made these treasures available.   There is usually notes about the music in the issues that is handy to have as well.

Back issues will be sent digitally to ABF members at no charge.  Sadly I have only scanned up to #184.  I am missing 1, 2, & 4.  So Issues 3 to 184 are available to members.  I'll get around to scanning the rest eventually.

The copy of Bowen's in the issue is better than the one Ian posted if anyone wants it shoot me an email for the full issue.

[Steve Harrison]

Hi Joel, thanks for your kind comment. In all my years of playing banjo, until I wrote this arrangement, I'd never played Maple Leaf Rag. Better late than never I suppose...Steve.

Joel Hooks said:

Thanks Steve!  As always, great work!

For a little perspective, the FVE arrangement from 1951 was first published in the 5 Stringer #88 of 1963.

The Bowen arrangement was first published in issue #94 1965. 

Technically both of these are still under "copyright"-- but I'll allow sharing like this unrestricted with one request.   It would be great if people would credit the ABF and the issue number of the 5 Stringer when they post or share.  It keeps it all together and helps people to know who made these treasures available.   There is usually notes about the music in the issues that is handy to have as well.

Back issues will be sent digitally to ABF members at no charge.  Sadly I have only scanned up to #184.  I am missing 1, 2, & 4.  So Issues 3 to 184 are available to members.  I'll get around to scanning the rest eventually.

The copy of Bowen's in the issue is better than the one Ian posted if anyone wants it shoot me an email for the full issue.

[Joel Hooks]

Rereading my post, I see I came off a bit strong.

I want people to share this stuff!  My point was that people might want the whole story.  No official copyright nonsense-- just a bit on the copy from the 5-Stringer issue it came from.  It is all good. 

The ABF was founded for the free exchange of banjo music and information-- please carry on!!