Popular Piano Virtuosity
Ragtime, Novelty, Stride, Swing & Society (1900-1945)
Fear not! The Graif Foundation hasn't put the kibosh on classical piano recitals! They will always enjoy pride of place. That said, we will also be inviting pianists, scattered 'round the country, perhaps from Canada, perhaps from across The Pond, to demonstrate a broad variety of popular styles from the first half of the 20th century, that captured the attention of performers and listeners alike.
Included are "ragtime" (Scott Joplin, et al), roughly 1899 to the 19-teens, "novelty piano solos" of the 1920's (show-offy stuff like "Kitten on the Keys"), "stride" - 20s/30s to its adherents today (Fats Waller, et al), "swing" - 30s/40s (Teddy Wilson, Jess Stacy, et al), and "society", often disparagingly called "cocktail" (Cy Walter, et al). The music is unfailingly joyous, melodic, romantic, syncopated/rhythmic/jazzy, and often virtuosic. The composer pianists were, by and
large, trained musicians who derived more satisfaction using that training to a popular effect. Audience members unaware of these idioms will likely crave more, once introduced. The music is infectious...and memorable.
- Alex Hassan
If you are hungry for more, we suggest searching YouTube for performances by some of the artists mentioned in Alex's article. You won't be disappointed! Here's one to get you started:
