Martin Spitznagel is an internationally recognized and award-winning performer and composer of vintage American piano music. He travels the country performing and lecturing on ragtime, an evangelist of syncopation who has been called "utterly astonishing" at the keyboard.
Everybody tries to play this, but nobody does it like Fats Waller and Joe Turner - they manage to make it flow - these unknown pianists tend to labour through it in an effort not to play any wrong notes. Nevertheless, it's very difficult and praise should be given to anybody who can play it at all!
Effectively an amazing way to personalize this lovely and evergreen Joplin' s masterpiece by Martin. These musical phrases obviously different from the original part and however are very well made!!! Excellent job Martin!! My best compliments to you!👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
I have visited this performance for a second time and thought did I hear a Transposition up a Semi or a full tone up at the end of the piece? Either way it is still a wonderful performance. Johnson would be proud.
I just found out Max Morath died on June 19, 2023 at the age of 96. I immediately went to this song. Max Morath’s World of Scott Joplin and Best of Scott Joplin albums have been all-time favorites since I first started listening to ragtime in 2019 at the age of 11. The Max Morath Quartet offered nostalgic and wonderfully played songs by a variety of composers. I soon collected several of his albums in physical vinyl form. This Christmas I will ask for another album of his in tribute to this formerly living legend. I was hoping he would live to be 100, but he got to live a life well lived. He introduced ragtime to so many casual viewers on his PBS program, and even got to meet Irving Berlin.
I’m delighted to hear of your appreciation for Max and his music! He was a wonderful man, and very invested in the “next generation” of ragtime/music lovers. I feel privileged to have known him. You’ve got a great start on his recorded works!
@@Spitzfire You should check out Alex Hassan's arrangement, it's fantastic! I wish Alex would come out to the festivals, he's arguably the best novelty pianist next to Frederick Hodges these days! (of course your novelties are something else altogether, very Mayerl inspired as I can tell :D)
Awesome performance though that intro I personally don't like, but that would of course be because I like the 1917 piano roll that Johnson recorded for QRS which is a bit simpler in it's nature xD
Beautiful! I like that you keep your pieces sounding traditional without the weird harmonies that a lot of modern composers use, Max Keenlyside and Vincent Johnson are the only other composers I know that write in a more period correct style.
@@Spitzfire It really is! The old music from the 1920s and whatnot especially made so many patterns the standard basis for so many popular tunes that are hits nowdays, the 1-6-2-5 and 1-3-6-2-5 chord progressions are some of the most common that came from old hits like All Of Me and Ain't Misbehavin'!
Awfully clicky action for a Yamaha, was it old or something? I guess it's sort of period correct, adds a lot to the novelty sound when you play it on an upright with mechanical noise. This is so great!
I think this one I might have a chance at learning, in C of course xD It's fairly simple as far as the melody goes. BUT THOSE STRIDE TENTHS MAKE THE TUNE, THANK YOU FOR FLATTING THEM AND NOT BREAKING THEM!!!!
Nice playing! A beautiful tune played on a really neat piano, I love the warbly old grands and uprights that have such a wonderful bright tone! (also, that B flat major tenth at 1:12 is already enough for me to freak out, I can't even reach a C sharp minor efficiently :(
@@Spitzfire Oh yeah, I'm working at reaching all the minor tenths semi effectively xD It depends on the piano but I can hold elevenths on all naturals sometimes. But man do I wish I could hold down a D major without breaking it, major tenths with flats on top are the largest tenth I would ever use really.
Thanks so much, Piotr! It was just me filming and recording so I’m still surprised it all came together! I haven’t considered writing words to this yet but it’s a lovely idea!
Three years,... I have never forgotten the beauty of this piece. Always wanted the sheet music. I'm working myself on something overdue for years, so perhaps I can understand the delay. Martin you have already given so much, perhaps we should not ask for more. Yet it would be so wonderful to be able to play this on my 1909 upright.
@@Spitzfire You shouldn't rush yourself, although I too cannot wait to get the sheets for it. I'm relieved to hear it's still planned so count me in when it does debut on the store!
