Silver Swan Rag
Encyclopedia
"Silver Swan Rag" by Scott Joplin
is a ragtime
composition for piano. It is the only known Joplin composition to be released on piano roll
instead of in musical notation
.
The structure is unusual for a Joplin rag; Edwards characterized it as a rondo
. The recapitulation of the A strain at the end is also found in "Magnetic Rag
" and "Scott Joplin's New Rag", which appeared about the same time.
The introduction
and the A strain are both in B-flat major. At the start of the B strain, the piece modulates to G minor. Edwards describes this section as "well developed".
The C strain is in E-flat major. Jasen and Tichenor wrote that it "sounds as though it consists of three fragments put together".
and National) issued piano roll recordings of it in 1914, the piece was neglected for many years.
Interest in Joplin's music revived in the 1960s. In 1970, a copy of the National roll (which did not credit Joplin) was discovered in the garage of a collector. While some doubted its authenticity, the piece was transcribed into musical notation
for inclusion in Vera Brodsky Lawrence's The Collected Works of Scott Joplin, published in 1971. The copyright for "Silver Swan Rag" was assigned to the Lottie Joplin Thomas Trust. Later in the 1970s, concerns about the piece's authenticity were allayed by the discovery of the QRS roll, which credited Joplin as the composer.
Scott Joplin
Scott Joplin was an American composer and pianist. Joplin achieved fame for his ragtime compositions, and was later dubbed "The King of Ragtime". During his brief career, Joplin wrote 44 original ragtime pieces, one ragtime ballet, and two operas...
is a ragtime
Ragtime
Ragtime is an original musical genre which enjoyed its peak popularity between 1897 and 1918. Its main characteristic trait is its syncopated, or "ragged," rhythm. It began as dance music in the red-light districts of American cities such as St. Louis and New Orleans years before being published...
composition for piano. It is the only known Joplin composition to be released on piano roll
Piano roll
A piano roll is a music storage medium used to operate a player piano, piano player or reproducing piano. A piano roll is a continuous roll of paper with perforations punched into it. The peforations represent note control data...
instead of in musical notation
Musical notation
Music notation or musical notation is any system that represents aurally perceived music, through the use of written symbols.-History:...
.
Form
The overall structure of the piece is:- Intro AA BB A CC Intro A
The structure is unusual for a Joplin rag; Edwards characterized it as a rondo
Rondo
Rondo, and its French equivalent rondeau, is a word that has been used in music in a number of ways, most often in reference to a musical form, but also to a character-type that is distinct from the form...
. The recapitulation of the A strain at the end is also found in "Magnetic Rag
Magnetic Rag
"Magnetic Rag" is a ragtime composition for piano by Scott Joplin. It is significant for being the last rag which Joplin published in his lifetime, three years before his death in 1917...
" and "Scott Joplin's New Rag", which appeared about the same time.
The introduction
Introduction (music)
In music, the introduction is a passage or section which opens a movement or a separate piece. In popular music this is often abbreviated as intro...
and the A strain are both in B-flat major. At the start of the B strain, the piece modulates to G minor. Edwards describes this section as "well developed".
The C strain is in E-flat major. Jasen and Tichenor wrote that it "sounds as though it consists of three fragments put together".
Publication history
"Silver Swan Rag" was never copyrighted or published in Joplin's lifetime. Though two companies (QRS Music Roll CompanyQRS Records
QRS Records was a United States record label, which produced three different groups of records 1928-1930, including some notable jazz and blues recordings....
and National) issued piano roll recordings of it in 1914, the piece was neglected for many years.
Interest in Joplin's music revived in the 1960s. In 1970, a copy of the National roll (which did not credit Joplin) was discovered in the garage of a collector. While some doubted its authenticity, the piece was transcribed into musical notation
Musical notation
Music notation or musical notation is any system that represents aurally perceived music, through the use of written symbols.-History:...
for inclusion in Vera Brodsky Lawrence's The Collected Works of Scott Joplin, published in 1971. The copyright for "Silver Swan Rag" was assigned to the Lottie Joplin Thomas Trust. Later in the 1970s, concerns about the piece's authenticity were allayed by the discovery of the QRS roll, which credited Joplin as the composer.