I saw William Bolcom perform this a few nights ago, in a show he did with wife Joan Morris at Piedmont Piano in Oakland. This is the closest version I've heard to what he does, very beautiful. He didn't swing it at all. Yes, he wrote it for his father, who he said was a great dancer. I can tell you for sure that I was not the only person crying in the room when he was finished.
Dean Mermell Wow-Thanks for sharing that experience, Dean. I usually end up teary-eyed, too, hearing this, and this young pianist is fantastic. I love all his recordings.
@@elliottdb He swings, drags, syncopates and dot-8ths it big time. For sure. It is somewhere here on YT. At 21:25 in this "whole album" recording from 1971, it's WB himself that plays. First and original recording of it by the composer himself. Note, that subsequent recordings of it, and live concerts with him, he's stiffed it up quite a bit. Here's the original...all other tunes are played by William Bolcom too, no less. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-qEUnSrbxrAE.html Besides all this, it is a RAG not a MARCH. Rag = drag, or ragged time. Ragtime is mostly old marches ragged up with syncopated, anticipated melodies, and timing. It isn't called Graceful Ghost March. It can be played as a "march" too, with stiffed up and swing-removed, but then it ain't any rag by any means.
I found an old video of Barron Ryan playing this piece in a competition. It was much faster, with a few wrong notes. How far he has come in interpreting this haunting piece! He has found the groove, as they used to say, and brought out all its melancholy beauty.
This piece is simply magnificent and beautiful. Bolcom composes a piece that is so smooth and clean, I suspect that lovers, admirers, and even protagonists of Ragtime will fall in love with this pearl. It has the excitement of Rag with a sophisticated touch of eloquence and allure that most piano works are simply missing.
All true.. but totally lacking in any trace of Ragtime. Paying too much obeisance to concert platform classical playing. Incredible pianist but no Ragger. If you don't have an ear for early jazz Rags, you won't hear it nor agree with me. Bet he's up with the best playing Beethoven.
Bolcolm's own performance of this piece recorded in 1971 remains the gold standard. No one else gets it right for the very reasons you cite. Shame I can't find it RU-vid.
@@MooPotPie Fortunately it's here ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-pH0OaeArVTE.html And I agree with you, it is my favourite interpretation.
One of my all-time favorite songs! I was giving a friend of mine, Susan Freidman, a tape of Professor Longhair's music at a friend's house in the early 80's-- she showed up with her latest boyfriend, George Winston, and when he saw what l was giving her we hit it off-- he's a big fan of his-- it just popped into my mind to ask him if he had heard of a rather obscure song entitled " Graceful Ghost". He replied, " l'm working on it right now"! Naturally, this blew my mind, and probably his! So this anecdote is permanently attached to this wonderful song-- truly amazing that this masterpiece is not known by all!
A magnificent piece! And so well played! Beautiful melody with melancholy. For someone who thought Joplin had composed all the great rags, I realized how little I knew when I heard this beautiful piece a few years ago.
For reasons I cannot explain, rags seem to inch their way into my soul. How lovely then that I have discovered William Bolcom on this frosty January morning. Thank you.
I've heard this piece many times. Even tried to learn it, devilishly hard for a hunt and peck player like myself. Right at the start I heard something new - the beginning of the piece sounds like an ending. Sets up a haunting quality, yeah, I know, but still, you could not play this to open a concert but only as an exit. Very sweetly done.
Listened to this again numerous times and it's not only perfect in technical ability but Beautiful in it's interpretation. I love this and will come back to listen many times. Bravo Barron
When you feel the song so hard, you close your eyes and forget there’s a video. Thank you again, Barron. I’ve heard many versions of this song but this, my first exposure, will always be my favorite.
Barron Ryan, thank you so much. Your technique is entrancing, and with tender conviction. I’ve listened to this more times than I deserve. But I’ll be back.
My piano teacher played this for me yesterday 😭 it is the best thing I've ever heard it has remotivated me to keep practicing until I can get good enough to play this 😭😭 great job
@@Oomdaan11 coming on good!!! Not at graceful ghost rag level yet but getting up there! I performed Chopin prelude in e minor and c minor a couple days ago so I'm building up. Thank you for checking in haha
I can’t even remember how I found this tune orignially but I’m so glad I’ve finally found the soul of this performance...and it means so much to me now, more than it ever did before. Thank you, Barron.
Perfect. The proper speed and wonderfully played! Balcolm dedicated this to his father. Thank you so much- a pleasure to hear. I love playing this piece too!
This is a perfect rendition of Graceful Ghost. I just ordered the CD on Amazon. Thank you. I also loved Paul Jacobs version from 1980 which is when I first heard it played.
man my teacher told me to find a song by William Bolcom and I found your video,no joke I already was on Amazon after 30 seconds of this video, the way you play it is absolute perfection and I’ve learnt 2 of the pages so far, hope to learn the whole song soon.
I love this rag so much. I am immediately brought to tears by the grazioso section. My heart is filled with nostalgia as I remember my wonderful childhood memories.
A magnificent rendition of the piece, balancing the need to maintain tempo with the need to render your own emotion and interpretation. Definitely a keeper, sir.
I haven't kept up with SU but this is one of my favorite pieces that I wish more people knew about, and I'm so SO happy it got some exposure through a great show like Steven Universe!! We need more classical music in cartoons again, like in the Looney Tunes, otherwise kids will almost never be exposed to great music like this!
Greetings, Finally, someone who actually plays Joplin at the proper tempo. What's the contest to see how fast a body can butcher Scott Joplin? Absolutely a magnificent performance. Flawless. Capital!
I found this this song long ago because of Pearl, fell in love with it, then a while later, bought it on iTunes. I've come to visit it again. Still beautiful
I like this rag. It's a very relaxing piece of music.....Reminds me of Joseph Lamb's "Ragtime Nightingale" in places. Other than the music, your gentile touch brings out the piano's fullest, richest tones. Great job!
Interesting how music touches people differently. Contrary to the previous comment, I find this piece (and this rendition) wrenching and an expression of pain, loss and love.
Graceful Ghost, the first piece in a suite called 3 Ghost Rags, was composed in memory of his father who passed away in 1970. It's a sad piece about missing your father who has become a ghost, but it feels like a bright greeting without being too heavy. His father loved to dance when he was alive, and as he reminisces about his father, Bolcom imagines dancing happily with his father. In the small space felt within the rhythmic music, his feelings that he was unable to convey to his father can be felt elegantly and lyrically. Through this music, Bolcom is pouring out all of his stories that were in his heart to the father he misses. 세 곡의 유령 래그(3 Ghost Rags)라는 모음곡 중 첫 번째 곡인 우아한 유령(Graceful Ghost)은 1970년 돌아가신 아버지를 추모하는 마음으로 작곡되었다. 유령이 된 아버지를 그리워하며 슬퍼하는 곡인데, 너무 무겁지 않고 밝게 인사하는 듯한 느낌이 든다. 생전의 아버지는 춤추는 걸 좋아했고, 그런 아버지를 회상하며 볼컴(Bolcom)은 아버지와 즐거운 춤을 추는 상상을 하고 있다. 리드미컬한 음악 속에 느껴지는 작은 무도회에서 아버지에게 전하지 못한 그의 마음이 우아하고 서정적으로 느껴진다. 32살의 볼컴(Bolcom)은 이 음악으로 보고 싶은 아버지께 가슴 속에 있던 자신의 모든 이야기를 쏟아내고 있다. 「3曲の幽霊ラグ（3Ghost Rags）」という組曲のうち、最初の曲である「優雅な幽霊（Graceful Ghost）」は1970年に亡くなった父親を追悼する気持ちで作曲された。 幽霊になった父親を懐かしがって悲しむ曲だが、あまり重くなく明るく挨拶するような感じがする。 生前の父親は踊るのが好きで、そんな父親を回想しながらボルコム（Bolcom）は父親と楽しいダンスをする想像をしている。 リズミカルな音楽の中に感じられる小さな舞踏会で、父親に伝えられなかった彼の心が優雅で叙情的に感じられる。 32歳のボルコム（Bolcom）は、この音楽で見たい父親に胸の中にあった自分のすべての話を吐き出している。
Why hasn't this piece not been put to lyrics? The story they would tell ! ...I feel: The elegance of the Roaring 20's dance in a flapper's sultry heat to the sizzling beat of a New Year's bash. The ticker tapes are thrumming and they keep running before the tumultuous storm of the stock market crash. Fragments of big dreams peel from the memories of people that feel the longing for sunny days and better times. Prohibition was no inhibition to the golden notes of fine summer wines. Speakeasies rise in mass to the swells of long bread lines. Through it all there is hope, with women given the right to vote. The poling place is livened now with a bright, lovely face. Armistice Day was declared, but I never ever cared. My loved one died on a foreign shore - a casualty of the First World War. Over days of lost sunshine my soul rues as the rain falls down in Ragtime blues.
Thank you, that was beautiful. You play it slower then most. I believe Ragtime is meant to be played slowly, yet everyone likes to rush. A more controlled pace brings out the beautiful chord changes in syncopation. Evident especially in the second section here. You play the ending with beautiful rubato and grace. I hear the Greyghost Bravo! I listened a few times. J
