[78-L] Scott Joplin on 78s?

[David Lennick]

I stand (sit, actually) updated thanks to Cary.

dl

On 6/25/2014 3:56 PM, Cary Ginell wrote:
>
> I have a 78 on the post-war Circle Documentary label (D-5005) that has Joplin piano rolls of "Weeping Willow Rag" and "Quality Rag" on it.
> Cary Ginell
>
>> To: 78-l at klickitat.78online.com
>> Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2014 21:50:25 +0200
>> From: andrew.evans at sfr.fr.invalid
>> Subject: [78-L] Scott Joplin on 78s?
>>
>>
>> Scott Joplin on 78s? No, I don't believe it either.
>>
>> But the forum's been quiet recently, so here we go.
>>
>> I have an LP, another from the Riverside "Classic Jazz Masters" series (Dr
>> Hans R Rookmaaker, who was mentioned here not long ago) entitled "Scott
>> Joplin, Ragtime Pioneer" (RLP 8815 or RM 8815). The liner notes are undated
>> and there's no copyright information on the disc, but the notes refer to
>> Rudi Blesh's book (published 1959). I bought the LP in 1968, so whenever it
>> comes from, it predates 'The Sting' by at least five years.
>>
>> The whole LP's a dog's breakfast of unattributed 78s apparently made from
>> piano rolls, five of which Dr Rookmaaker states are by Joplin himself,
>> though without any supporting testimony, or names of the other performers.
>> So I'm not sure I really believe that, either.
>>
>> Of the 13 titles listed (there are actually 14 but as I said, the whole
>> thing's a dog's breakfast) Rust mentions only two: Morton's version of
>> Original Rags (which this definitely ain't), and about 25 versions of Maple
>> Leaf Rag. So presumably Brian Rust never saw any of these discs either.
>>
>> I've no reason to doubt the good Dr Rookmaaker's assertion that they are 78s
>> made from piano rolls. They are totally lacking in dynamics (hence piano
>> rolls), sound like electric recordings (but not good enough to be post-war)
>> and most of them run to within a few seconds of three minutes, which
>> suggests that the player-piano was paced to fill the side, regardless of the
>> roll's intended playing time. One "side", which is actually a medley of Pine
>> Apple Rag and Euphonic Sounds, runs to 4'55".
>>
>> Does anybody out there have any information about these alleged 78s ... or
>> any speculative suggestions about where they might have come from? Or does
>> anyone know of a piano-roll collector who might have anything written or
>> plausibly performed by Joplin?
>>
>> Andrew in Luxembourg
>>
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