Terry Waldo Discusses Ragtime

Learn more about Ragtime from the genre's greatest scholar, the pianist and author Terry Waldo!

[@Noella-l5d]

You are great! Thank you from Baku, Azerbaijan. I like ragtime musuc very much! Have a nice day, Terry!

[@theellisc]

The story I heard was : Scott Joplin, (like many musicians of the day) attended the 1893 World's Fair (the Colombian Exhibition) in Chicago. Fredrick Douglas, Paul Lawrence Dunbar, other artist and musicians performed at the fair. Joplin observed John Phillip Sousa, with predominate 2 and 4 beat marches. Joplin also observed a group of musicians from Dahomey, Africa who played music in a syncopated, "ragged time". Supposedly, these were influences on Joplin's compositions. (So the story goes.) ~~ I had the opportunity to present the birthday cake for Eubie Blake's 95th birthday, at the Morris Mechanic Theater, in Baltimore.***** Mr. Terry Waldo is amazing ! Masterful.

[@gabriellatis]

Explained very professionally and nice . Thank you, Mr. Terry !

[@jasonrusso151]

Eubie came to my city of Buffalo NY to record with QRS piano roll Co. in 1978 or maybe 1983 or so. Bob Berkman was owner at this time & when I spoke to him remembered Eubie well. QRS was one of the last piano roll companies to exist as I recall. I am glad Buffalo could contribute to ragtime & jazz. We are a very old city with beautiful Victorian & Edwardian era homes, second empire. Preserved quite well.

[@TuanBasikal]

I saw Eubie Blake play "Charleston Rag" in 1978 and I met him too... I always remember the way he would exclaim while he played it.

[@trawlins396]

Wow. Lucky!

[@PDN11141]

That was fun to watch Terry, Great playing!

[@riverwildcat1]

Excellent!

[@tomwoolsey1089]

I love this man's voice

[@trawlins396]

Same! Idk why. It's odd lol

[@BazColne]

Thank you for so many lessons packed into a short time.

[@pedropinheiro1417]

Or should the video be called "Terry Waldo Assassinates Maple Leaf Rag". I love the history lesson though, as well as the ragtime style "My Gal Sal" :)

[@kimbillro]

I just did a quick search by reading the wiki biographies of Jelly Roll Morton and Scott Joplin. Scott Joplin moved to New York City from St. Louis in 1907. Jelly got to New York City in 1911 with a minstrel show where future stride greats James P. Johnson and Willie "The Lion" Smith caught his act. Do I think that Jelly looked Scott Joplin "the King of Ragtime" up while in New York City? Yes I do. Jelly was 9 years old in 1899 when the Maple Leaf Rag was published and Jelly said that he knew all of Scott Joplin's rags by heart. He must have played them constantly in the bordellos in New Orleans as a youth. The only problem with my theory is that there is no evidence that I can find that they ever met. In the recordings made in 1938 for the Library of Congress Jelly plays the Maple Leaf Rag and then plays it again in his Jazz style, a wonderful feat. Joplin died in 1917 at 48 or 49 years of age since his exact date of birth is disputed, and Jelly died at 50 years of age in 1941. His birth date is also somewhat disputed. In 1912-14, Morton toured with his girlfriend Rosa Brown as a vaudeville act, and it was during this time he stayed for a while in St. Louis, Missouri and talks about the trip, Scott Joplin (who at this time was in New York City) and other ragtime greats in the recordings made in 1938 for the Library of Congress directed by Alan Lomax and released on an eight-CD boxed set in 2005, "The Complete Library of Congress Recordings".

[@chrisjaybecker]

He's rushing the tempo a bit. Scott Joplin said that Ragtime should not be played fast.

[@jimgaro89]

@@chrisjaybecker Did you notice Pedro's rendition of this piece? Naw...neither did I.

[@karensimons5387]

@@chrisjaybecker But he played it fast

[@chunbai7266]

hah....Indeed an assassination..

[@rdehn5799]

thanks so much for this, great

[@StrideLatinProgRick]

Beautiful, Terry, I do love this!

[@incrediblestepsProd]

Love it...I miss hearing this music in my step dad's house who was a big BEBOP and Ragtime fan

[@Radiatoron88]

I'm very grateful to Terry Waldo for having transcribed and published a volume of EubieBlake's rags. That must have been a pretty tough task! And that volume, "Sincerely Eubie Blake: 9 Original Compostions for Piano Solo," is great fun to play through! So my hat is off to Mr. Waldo for such a great gift to the rag-loving world! But I must confess that I suppose I fall into what Mr. Waldo might consider the "enemy camp" when it comes to the performance of at least the rags of Scott Joplin, James Scott, and Joseph Lamb. For me the god of rag performance remains Joshua Rifkin, whose Nonesuch LPs of various of Joplin's rags will probably not be surpassed in my lifetime, if ever. Mr. Waldo feels that rags are meant to "get your blood pumping," and I think he's right that rags shouldn't be played at funereal tempos. But, for me, the old-timey style of saloon or "red light establishment" pianists smashing through rags on mediocre to lousy uprights doesn't hold much attraction. Give me the beauty of tone, sensitive and elegant phrasing, overall cohesion, development, and attention to voicing and detail in general of Joshua Rifkin every time when it comes to the rags of the three great rag composers mentioned above. For me, at least, the "Maple Leaf Rag" doesn't have to be raced through for it to be an thrilling piece that gets my blood pumping. But I suppose if I grew up in the era and location of Storyville, I might prefer the "crashing through" pianistic approach to the more thoughtful one taken by Joshua Rifkin. Still, I'm extremely grateful to Mr. Waldo for his wonderful folio of Eubie Blake rags! The Eubie Blake rags do benefit from a more outgoing approach in line with the more exuberant East coast "ragsmiths" in general. In any case, I enjoyed this video very much, so another tip of the hat and bow to Mr. Waldo!

[@brandonreevesmusic5408]

While Rifkin’s recordings are their own kind of beautiful, let’s not make the mistake of seeing the faster, swinging, “raggy” style as any less thoughtful or artful! But it is a very different frame of reference. For me, as a jazz-based pianist, Ragtime is in a sense “early early jazz,” and I naturally prefer Waldo’s tradition. I’d imagine more classically-minded pianists prefer Rifkin’s interpretation (and Joplin himself did see his rags as the next progression in the classical tradition). Waldo’s Eubie book is such a gem ❤️

[@Radiatoron88]

@@brandonreevesmusic5408 I will say that it can be very challenging to play classic rags at faster tempos. I don't object to faster tempos per se, and it really depends on the particular rag. I'd also point out that, speaking of Joshua Rifkin's recordings, he really rips along in some of the Joplin rags--for example, "Elite Syncopations" and "Scott Joplin's New Rag," but yet he still maintains the integrity of the music. Oftentimes overly sped-up performances pretty much just stomp all over the score, disrespecting the music and mostly just making a lot of noise. I don't see the value in that. Though I realize that the East Coast ragtime of Eubie Blake and "Luckey" Roberts is well served by a faster and more free-wheeling approach. A perfect example of that is Eubie playing his "Charleston Rag." (The first piece in Terry Waldo's wonderful book of Eubie Blake Transcriptions) As a general principle, for me at least, I find that faster tempos can sometimes prevent me from savoring a lot of what is going on in a given piece, and for that reason I often prefer relatively slower tempos in classical piano music or in classic ragtime. I hesitate to lay down any "hard and fast" rules. I enjoy lots of what Terry Waldo does at the piano. I also love some of what William Albright does in his recording of the Joplin rags. What he does when he repeats the third strain in the "Maple Leaf Rag" is wonderfully entertaining! Here's a link for that in case you don't know the recording: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a3uafnmaidWgnas I had the chance to hear William Albright play a ragtime program at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, many years ago, and it was truly a rompin' stompin' ball! He was a tremendously energetic ragtime player. William Albright--and his great colleague at the University of Michigan (they were known as "the Two Bills"), William Bolcom bring great creativity and energy to their ragtime performances, no doubt about it. (And I love many of their own rags as well!) In the past year I've come to love the KZbin recordings of Spencer Myers playing various rags by William Bolcom. He plays the Bolcom rags "as written," and so beautifully! I guess you could call his approach "Rifkinian." It suits me, that's all I can say. It seems to me that jazz musicians sometimes like to portray classical musicians as too square and stuffy and "overly exacting." I love lots of jazz and only wish I could be a jazz pianist! (Or any kind of professional pianist, for that matter.) But it seems to me that beautifully and carefully composed compositions--be they jazz or classical--deserve "note-worthy" (or at least "note-conscious") performances. That's why I'm so fond of Joshua Rifkin's Joplin recordings. He never seems to take anything for granted in the music, and that has pulled me in more deeply year after year. "My bad," maybe. I clearly "imprinted on" his Nonesuch albums. But I'm open to many different kinds of performances, even while no doubt returning to J.R. in the end when it comes to the Joplin rags. (Though I wish I could play the third strain of the "Maple Leaf Rag" the way William Albright does in his recording!) Wishing you all the best, and thank you for your thoughts!

[@peterflom6878]

Great stuff Im trying to imagine marching to that!😂

[@dennisspinkshappyforbusker2523]

Class,I like this!.

[@KawhackitaRag]

rhoyt15 This song is "My Gal Sal", which is today the most well-known song of the famous songwriter Paul Dresser. It was one of the last songs he completed before his death, and was published in 1905. The first lyric line of the chorus is "They called her 'Frivolous Sal'... a peculiar sort of a gal...". It really is a wonderful song.

[@john-paulderosa356]

More, please. Lot's more!

[@KawhackitaRag]

Thanks for posting this video!

[@MusicManiacJim]

Phenomenal playing. I would love to have one percent of your ability. Thank you!

[@trawlins396]

If I had .1 percent I'd never stop playing.

[@michaelmilbredt977]

I think it is too fast...played. Sorry. Too fast for the "Syncop. effect".

[@roberthall590]

​.... my ears would like his playing to "Breathe" a little - missing some expression. Sounds too mechanical....his playing comes across a little angry. I don't want to hear piano playing sound like someone on a typewriter even if keeping beat with the metronome. Interesting he puts down Juilliard grad - but there's room for different ways of expression. Interesting how expression can match personality - notice he doesn't seem to ever smile. Compare that with joyful playing of Stephanie Trick (old time player) or Jonny May who do smile often while playing.

[@quill444]

Having HD quality video from 'way back' in 2012 is very progressive and unusual, and yet it sounds like you were placed into a studio right next to the likes of Ute Lemper doing her vocal rehearsals! It's amazing that you were a student of Eubie Blake, but after hearing you play I am now convinced of it! Sad to see it appears you have not posted any new content in several years, but I still have plenty of your older videos to wade through. I hope you are doing well. - j q t -

[@mikeygoda]

What's going on there with the left hand at 2:40? did he forget the piece?

[@DB-rr1eo]

That is a GREAT job explaining ragtime. Am I naive to be curious about the harmony aspect of ragtime?

[@davidconnellchicago]

Great Stuff. The best comment of the Maple Leaf Rag.....It's perfect in every way.....Amazing piece of music and wonderful playing.

[@rondunn4336]

Any discussion of ragtime piano must include Claude Bollings. The best of the best. Have a listen.

[@rootbear2958]

Congratulations it is brillant

[@neillore]

You're an amazing player, with a treasure trove of interesting and historical knowledge to share. I don't think I've come across your name before, but I'll check out what you're about. How do you play Ragtime so accurately and almost without looking? I've been struggling with Joplin's MLR all my life and I still fall off the edge here and there...hats off to you, brother.

[@AustinCasey]

Haha are yall in Wynton's dressing room? Thanks for the vid! Waldo is the man! -Austin

[@josephdavis7773]

Wow he learned from eubie blake incredible

[@trawlins396]

That is pretty incredible.

[@PersianPlatypus]

Anyone else think he sounds a lot like Tom Hanks?

[@jmac4654]

PersianPlatypus nigga

[@LouigiVerona]

But I did enjoy the lecture a lot. Thank you.

[@xoppa09]

nice historical context

[@ryanedwardmusic]

Frivolous Sal

[@losingmyfavoritegame8752]

That's rag time if I've ever heard it! Que the old dusty film!

[@stevenraphael1955]

Wonderful, I studied with Jim Hession who played with Edee Blake...... I'm a Pro Pianist and still can't play like Rod Miller of disney land who I think is the greatest Rag Time play every to live. Do you have any advice for me to play more Raggie?

[@2580fox1]

Loose as a goose!

[@VinniePaah]

Terry you rock! Oh, wait, no, you rag! A true master.

[@zzausel]

a march? They had no luggage that time.

[@walkernick86]

*sprint

[@LazlosPlane]

Terry, you play beautifully, but your tempo is absurdly fast for the Maple Leaf. Much of the subtlety of the composition , the syncopation, etc, are lost at this tempo.

[@bossmeep786]

+LazlosPlane yeah a bit slower would show the style of being dragged along yet in beat

[@MooPotPie]

Joplin marked many of rags at 100 bpm, so Terry's tempo seems ab out right to me. It's his sloppy playing and excessive wrong notes that bug me.

[@bossmeep786]

MooPotPie well i like slow drag rags, so i don't know about ragtime in general

[@MooPotPie]

Yegor Noskov Just as there are different styles of rags, there are different tempos at which these styles work best. Their original function was as dance music. A Buck & Wing dance is generally not the same tempo as a Cakewalk or Slow Drag. Of course tempo is a subjective matter of taste for the individual player/dancer/listener. I trust the earliest historic recordings as the best indicator of performance practices during the ragtime era.

[@pedrolanevert]

Yep, Maple Leaf Rag is here played too fast!

[@vinitu0077]

ништяк

[@KlavierKannNichtMehr]

far far too fast.

[@GH-oi2jf]

Too fast for my taste. The original score is marked “not fast.”

[@KlavierKannNichtMehr]

A march is just that, not a sprint, not even a marathon - a good even walking pace that soldiers could MARCH to….

[@tommietucker]

mlr way too fast all the melody was lost

[@karensimons5387]

Listen to the earliest recording of MLR by Arthur Marshall

[@b.deville3236]

@karensimons5387; The earliest surviving recording of MLR is a 1906 performance by the U. S. Marine band, and they didn't butcher through it the way Waldo does. Waldo is more of an early jazz revilaist that a true ragtime musuican.

[@skellez83]

Finally…I found Waldo. :)

[@ReneeCollinsGeorges]

Thank you! I am a vocalist in the DMV - preparing a children’s program on Eubie Blake. I would love to talk with you.

[@walkernick86]

great playing... but still far too fast!! You talk of march tempo, but you played this much faster that a march. More of a spring lol

[@rillloudmother]

+walkernick86 agreed, i remember my college theory teacher bemoaning the super fast versions of this tune. the recording i have of joplin playing this is waaay slower.

[@davedaddy101]

very cool. loved it

[@johnnyjackpot]

Thanks so much for this!

[@jamesrusso2523]

nice

[@prof.edwingmusical3154]

Excelente!

[@pat7893]

Love you, Terry!! Still remember seeing you in 1990 for my birthday!! Maureen

[@justineward5996]

This is wonderful! Thank you for sharing.

[@andynew2]

It's just a short distance to Fats and the other stride masters.

[@johnrothfield6126]

March vs Cakewalk?

[@johnrussell8749]

Thanks

[@johnrothfield6126]

Eubie Blake, born 1887

[@anthonytarczynski5423]

Blake himself claimed to be born in 1883, which was disproved by census records