A Real Slow Drag (1911/13) - Scott Joplin (With Score / Sheet Music)

Details

Description

Upon completion of his master work "Treemonisha" in 1911, Joplin had set off on what may be deemed an ill-fated venture to find any publisher willing to take on it's publication, as well as those interested in it's production. During a particular time the United States had began it's emergence as a dance crazy nation, publishing firms & recording labels had panned their attention to one common goal: Growing catalog popularity & sales. And if the stakes to earn profit under an investment were deemed too high, most saw fit to turn their nose to other opportunities.

In Treemonisha's case, it had become evident enough that the three act opera found little to no interest by New York businessmen in a city fueled by lively music. Unwilling to trash his prized project after taking years into the making, Joplin would take it upon himself to publish & print the work, securing it's official copyright by June of 1911. With a limited number of copies in print, Joplin pressed on with his ambition to include small media coverage about the opera's completion and search for distributors. Despite the score alone receiving positive review in the press along with a small lack-luster staging fitted with no costumes or set, these efforts would fail to find any investors in the end, leaving Joplin disgruntled and heartbroken.

Driving himself into obsession to see the potential success of his work, Joplin began publishing small excerpts from the opera in attempt to maintain it's public image and perhaps even secure funding for a proper staging. The second and most famous of these excerpts would be "A Real Slow Drag" in 1913, the final piece to conclude the entire opera in a light-hearted fashion. In comparison to Joplin's preceding publications, one can take clear notice to the dramatic change in quality & tone the composer's music now takes form of.
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"A Real Slow Drag" - Opera Selection
Music, staging & words by Scott Joplin, published by Scott Joplin Music Pub. Co. in 1913
Cover Artist: Unknown

Music description provided & written by Bill Edwards
© 1998-2024 Bill Edwards

Music performed by Richard Zimmerman with his album "Scott Joplin: His Complete Works"

℗ 1965 © Bescol, Ltd.