Sunday 30 November 2025
A Ragtime Two Step by Scott Joplin
When this rag was first published in 1908, it was evident to many that it was based on the same format of Joplin's first big hit, “Maple Leaf Rag”, which was published nine years earlier. Indeed, in the opening section “Sugar Cane” is stylistically identical to its famous predecessor. But it still rings with originality, in spite of the detractors. One of those was his now-estranged publisher John Stark, who derided Joplin's efforts of the time in personal notes. He postulated that Joplin's “spring of inspiration had run dry”, and seemed to show little compassion for the composer that had helped build his empire. Just the same, Joplin rags sold no matter who published them.
Saturday 29 November 2025
Traditional Irish jig
This jig is taken from Francis O'Neill's collection The Dance Music of Ireland, published in Chicago in 1907.
Friday 28 November 2025
from “20 Easy and Melodic Studies”
This étude in E minor is taken from the second book of Twenty Easy Melodic Progressive Studies by Italian composer Ernesto Köhler.
Thursday 27 November 2025
from “Sonates sans Basse à deux Flutes traverses”
This common-time Allegro is the second movement of Georg Philipp Telemann's Sonata No. 4 in E minor for two flutes or recorders.
Wednesday 26 November 2025
for flute and piano
Today's piece was kindly contributed to our collection by its composer, Paul Merkus from the Netherlands. It was originally written for piano solo in 1998.
The piece opens with a tranquil low-register musing that, after 16 bars, blossoms into a higher register and builds to a climax with a somewhat freer accompaniment. After this climax, the opening theme concludes. The interlude of this “Intermezzo” is a simple melody in the major mode that flows peacefully along with a quiet accompaniment of broken chords in the left hand. After a mysterious transition back to the minor key, the tranquility culminates in the exciting chorale in the piano. The whole then lightens somewhat when the flute comes back with a fantasy of scale figures, culminating in the piece's apotheosis: a grand conclusion with a reprise of the opening theme, but now in a maestoso style.
Tuesday 25 November 2025
Traditional Irish jig
This jig appears to be unique to Chicago Police Captain Francis O'Neill's collection The Dance Music of Ireland, published in 1907. Hollyford is a small village in County Tipperary, Ireland.
Monday 24 November 2025
from “Thirty Easy and Progressive Studies”
This is étude No. 15 from Italian Romantic composer Giuseppe Gariboldi's collection of 30 Etudes faciles et progressives.
