Calliope Rag - Update
Warren Trachtman
About a month ago, there was some discussion on the newsgroup about Calliope
Rag. Some interesting speculation was tossed around, including some theories
as to why that rag may indeed have been a James Scott composition yet still
sound different from his other compositions (written for calliope versus
piano, etc).
While in Sedalia for the Joplin festival, Bob Darch was one of the few folks
remaining at the headquarters hotel on Sunday afternoon. I don't recall just
how the subject came up, but Ed Berlin and I took the opportunity to go
downstairs from the afterhours piano room where we hangers-on were conversing,
and ask Bob Darch directly just what the real story was regarding that piece.
I am not making any judgements, pro or con, regarding the following, but
merely wish to pass it along as an item of interest.
As related to us directly by Bob Darch, the story is as follows:
While visiting one of James Scott's relatives (one of his sisters, I think he
said), Bob had been shown a (spiral-bound) notebook presumed to belong to
James Scott wherein the right-hand, A-section theme, and the title "Calliope
Rag" were written. Bob hand-copied the A-section theme (this was before the
age of convenient photocopiers) from the notebook. He then filled-in the left
hand part for the A-section, and wrote the remaining sections of the piece to
complete it.
So, as per the conversation with Bob Darch on June 6, 1999, the only material
in Calliope Rag which he is claiming to have been of direct James Scott
composition is the theme for the A-section.
I'm quite sure that Ed Berlin will subsequently have more details and fact
cross-checking to pass along which will help to further clarify and expand
upon the genesis of this composition.
In the meantime, perhaps those of you who were interested in the pedigree of
this rag may want to take another look at the piece with the perspective of
this input from Bob Darch.
Regards,
Warren Trachtman
--
--------------------------------------
Warren Trachtman
[e-mail address suppressed to avoid spam]
send me e-mail at "my first name"@"my last name".ORG
http://www.trachtman.org/ragtime
Oleg Mezjuev
> I am not making any judgements, pro or con, regarding the
> following, but merely wish to pass it along as an item of
> interest. As related to us directly by Bob Darch, the story is
> as follows:
>
> While visiting one of James Scott's relatives (one of his
> sisters, I think he said), Bob had been shown a (spiral-bound)
> notebook presumed to belong to James Scott wherein the
> right-hand, A-section theme, and the title "Calliope Rag" were
> written. Bob hand-copied the A-section theme (this was before
> the age of convenient photocopiers) from the notebook. He then
> filled-in the left hand part for the A-section, and wrote the
> remaining sections of the piece to complete it.
>
> So, as per the conversation with Bob Darch on June 6, 1999, the
> only material in Calliope Rag which he is claiming to have been
> of direct James Scott composition is the theme for the A-section.
Hi Warren!
I have the following information about the "Calliope Rag":
An enchanting work discovered by Robert Darch, who obtained the
manuscript from one of Scott's sisters, with the information that
Scott played it on the steam calliope at Lakeside Park, located
between Carthage and Joplin, Missouri. This rag was probably
written prior to 1910. (So far according to "Rags and Ragtime",
by Jasen & Tichenor).
Then I have additional info (I don't remember the source right
now, but I think I saw it in one of the Ashwander folios): It was
arranged and edited in 1966 by Donald Ashwander for the 3rd edition
of "They All Played Ragtime".
You were right, Bob got the manuscript from one of James Scott's
sisters. What puzzles me is what did Donald Ashwander add to Bob's
composition before it was published in 1966? And also, is the
original Scott/Darch composition still available somewhere? It
would be interesting to compare the two versions. But since no
clear answers are given us regarding this rag, I have a feeling
that someone is trying to create a "mystery" around this piece.
RAGards,
Oleg Mezjuev
--
oleg.m...@mailbox.swipnet.se
http://home1.swipnet.se/~w-10734/
BCD
>[...]
> As related to us directly by Bob Darch, the story is as follows:
>
> While visiting one of James Scott's relatives (one of his sisters, I think he
> said), Bob had been shown a (spiral-bound) notebook presumed to belong to
> James Scott wherein the right-hand, A-section theme, and the title "Calliope
> Rag" were written. Bob hand-copied the A-section theme (this was before the
> age of convenient photocopiers) from the notebook. He then filled-in the left
> hand part for the A-section, and wrote the remaining sections of the piece to
> complete it.
> So, as per the conversation with Bob Darch on June 6, 1999, the only material
> in Calliope Rag which he is claiming to have been of direct James Scott
***Interesting! Do we know anything of Scott's composition habits? Is
the above typical of how Scott would first sketch out a piece? Many
composers, be they "serious" or "pop," are known to have carried around
a notebook, memorandum book, or piece of blank paper so that they could
either hurriedly scribble down some musical idea which occurred to them
or so that they could similarly hurriedly scribble down some snatch of
music which they heard on the street which appealed to them. Not to be
a higgler--but all we can really say of "Calliope Rag," given the above,
is that Scott noted down in his notebook a theme from whatever source
(his head or his ear), and that Mr. Darch kindly made it available to us
by including it in a rag which was otherwise of his own composition.
***I have a notion--and perhaps memory is not serving me well--that I
read somewhere that, characteristically, Scott did not title his own
pieces, but left that to the publisher (and, at any rate, to me, it does
seem a bit odd that he would have given the piece a name having only
completed one theme for the work). If this is true--and, again, I'm not
asserting it, but only relating feebly what I seem to recall as having
read--the fact thus that the piece was listed as "Calliope Rag" in his
notebook could easily mean rather that he heard someone else playing it
on a calliope, and/or that it's someone else's (presumably unpublished)
piece which that someone else had entitled "Calliope Rag," and of which
Scott only liked the one strain which he decided to note down to study.
Or of course it could mean exactly what Darch assumed!
***It would be worthwhile knowing what else was in that notebook, and
where it is now...
Best Wishes,
--BCD.
Web Site: http://www.csulb.edu/~odinthor
Paul F. Wilson
I ain't exactly "au courant" with the latest researches in the history of
industrial technology, but the thing that lept (leaped?) out at me in
Warren's report was that the purported A-theme manuscript of "Calliope Rag"
was in a spiral-bound notebook.
Given that (1) James Scott died in 1938, and that (2) this tune supposedly
dates from his early days anyway, doesn't this detail of a "spiral-bound"
notebook strike anybody else as odd? My school days started in the '50s,
and I don't recall seeing spiral-bound school supplies until the '60s.
Perhaps Mr. Darch meant to say "loose-leaf?" Ah, but there I seem to recall
hearing that loose-leaf binders were a development of World War II.
Perhaps the manuscript was written in ball-point pen? (Another development
of World War II.)
Forgive my scepticism, but I just unclogged my mailbox after receiving a
batch of forwards of forwards of forwards of the latest "Barnum-was-right"
proof, the one where Bill Gates will send you $5.00 a hit for each name
mentioned in an Internet Explorer 5.0-generated chain letter.
As a former girlfriend once quite elegantly put it, "Spamme." (A terse,
hard-boiled, take-no-prisoners inflection of "spare me.")
Raggards,
Doc
BCD
> [...]
> Given that (1) James Scott died in 1938, and that (2) this tune supposedly
> dates from his early days anyway, doesn't this detail of a "spiral-bound"
> notebook strike anybody else as odd? My school days started in the '50s,
> and I don't recall seeing spiral-bound school supplies until the '60s.
***Good eye--you get the "heads-up" award...
> Perhaps Mr. Darch meant to say "loose-leaf?" Ah, but there I seem to recall
> hearing that loose-leaf binders were a development of World War II.
> Perhaps the manuscript was written in ball-point pen? (Another development
> of World War II.)
***But, just to ponder, how do we respond when sister of James Scott or
whoever says, perhaps, "Oh, yes--Cousin Fred copied it from James'
personal papers into his own spiral notebook back in '65, just before
the original went up in smoke when the house burnt down."
> Forgive my scepticism [...]
***Scepticism is healthy and I for one always welcome it under any
circumstances. Thanks!
Bill Edwards
Paul F. Wilson wrote:
> Uh, folks?
>
> I ain't exactly "au courant" with the latest researches in the history of
> industrial technology, but the thing that lept (leaped?) out at me in
> Warren's report was that the purported A-theme manuscript of "Calliope Rag"
> was in a spiral-bound notebook.
>
SO.... I'm sure that one of us lives somewhere in New York and has enough of an
open contact and enough to chutzpah to make a visit or phone call to Bob Darch
and say "Uh Bob, there is a large core group who are latently interested in your
'discovery' of Calliope Rag. Couldja tell us that story again for historical
accuracy?" Tact should get us a long way. Little prodding reminders asked in a
gentle manner ("Are you sure it was a _spiral_ notebook?") and not-overly
challenging rejoinders should perhaps clear this up a little better. Since
history is still available to us, wouldn't that be a bit more informative and
productive than, for lack of a better thought out term, speculative musings or
gossip? I would like to hear the story myself, and if included in the context of
other information he originally gave Blesh and Janis, it would certainly
encourage our esteemed colleague to speak freely. I'm sure he has a lot to tell,
based on personal experience hearing some of his stories.
So does anybody want to take on this challenge? It could change this little bit
of ragtime history. We will find out if Blesh and Janis were incorrect in their
conclusions and inclusion in the third edition of TAPR, or if the editors of the
Scott collection were remiss in their omission of Calliope. I myself thought
that the eight measure C strain could have been shorthand for a complete 16
measure strain, which would only require a logical alteration to measures 7 and
8. But if Scott indeed did not write it, as we are now finding out, will this
put Calliope in the same field as Schubert's Unfinished Symphony, Chopin's two
"posthomous" Nocturnes, or even worse, the misbegotten sequel to Mitchell's
original Gone With The Wind? Let the horse set the record straight from his own
mouth.
Any volunteers? I support you completely. Want a script? I'll gladly produce one
for perusal and editing by all on the newsgroup. I am not passing judgement on
Mr. Darch, nor will I as far as I'm concerned. I prefer dealing in substantiated
facts, but we often have to rely on evidence that provides reasonable
postulation, still preferable over speculation. So I am very interested in
whatever he says, and will look at it from the careful optimist's POV instead of
the grizzled skepticist.
Comments and volunteers are most welcome! How can I help?
Bill Edwards
Edward Berlin
"Paul F. Wilson" wrote:
>
>
> I ain't exactly "au courant" with the latest researches in the history of
> industrial technology, but the thing that lept (leaped?) out at me in
> Warren's report was that the purported A-theme manuscript of "Calliope Rag"
> was in a spiral-bound notebook.
Perhaps Warren remembers it more clearly than I (I had had a few drinks
by then, though was still far behind Darch), but I don't recall Darch
specifying "spiral-bound notebook". My interest was focussed on the
relative contributions of Scott & Darch. I had long doubted that it was
a Scott work, agreed with the editors of the Smithsonian edition, and
was pleased to hear Darch say that he was responsible for most of it. I
remember vaguely reading something about this some years ago, but would
have to research to find the original statement.
In answer to one of Warren's posted questions: Bob spoke on this issue
in response to my question. Bob also said that the truncated (8-m.) C
strain was based on an idea given to him by Haven Gillespie.
Ed Berlin
Warren Trachtman
>
>Perhaps Warren remembers it more clearly than I (I had had a few drinks
>by then, though was still far behind Darch), but I don't recall Darch
>specifying "spiral-bound notebook". My interest was focussed on the
>relative contributions of Scott & Darch.
My main interest was also in hearing the nature of the attributed
original material to the added material. That was also the primary
information I intended to convey in my summary of the discussion.
I specifically put the "spiral bound" phrase in parenthesis since
I am not sure about that myself, and don't really think it merits
the focus it is receiving in the current newsgroup discussion.
Bob Darch, in relating the story, made some comments about the
notebook, but the description was a bit unclear to me at the time.
It seemed to me that the description was close to that of a spiral bound
notebook, but since I believed he may have intended something
different, I made the reference parenthetical in my paraphrase
of his explanation. I do specifically recall him indicating some
sort of binding (i.e. not loose-leaf as Paul Wilson suggested). It
did not seem to me worth worrying about too much, since it was not the
main item of concern. This was, after all, just a conversation,
not a 60 minutes interview.
I also recall that he indicated there was a third person present
when he saw the notebook and copied the theme. It was a woman,
who's name was unfamiliar to me at the time, and which I don't
recall, but a name which Ed Berlin may recall.
Bob Darch did seem quite open and willing, even enthusiastic, to
talk about the piece, so I'm sure if somebody wanted to ask him
about it again, as Bill suggests, I would expect you would not
have any difficulty in that respect. You could certainly take
more detailed notes, and ask more questions about the notebook
(including the more important issue of why it was presumed to
be James Scott's notebook in the first place)
and many other issues, rather than relying on the
memory of a casual conversation, as I was doing when I wrote my post.
Paul F. Wilson
Warren Trachtman <SendN...@erols.com> wrote in message
news:7k1dun$l50$1...@autumn.news.rcn.net...
<snip>
> I specifically put the "spiral bound" phrase in parenthesis since
> I am not sure about that myself, and don't really think it merits
> the focus it is receiving in the current newsgroup discussion.
Maybe yes; maybe no.
I had to put up with nine years of my doctoral advisors holding my feet to
the fire on every bit of evidence I presented in classes and on my
dissertation.
The provenance of a piece of evidence is not irrelevant to a serious
researcher. Otherwise we'd still be reading Howard Hughes' autobiography
and Hitler's diaries.
Doc
Edward Berlin
>
> I also recall that he indicated there was a third person present
> when he saw the notebook and copied the theme. It was a woman,
> who's name was unfamiliar to me at the time, and which I don't
> recall, but a name which Ed Berlin may recall.
>
The woman Darch mentioned is Helen Wallace. I called her a few days
before the "update" began, and today received Helen's written response:
"I have consulted with Smiley [Helen's husband], and this is our memory
of Calliope Rag:
"We [Helen, Smiley, Bob and Peggy Darch] were in Carthage, Missouri,
when a woman approached Bob and told him she was the great niece of
James Scott. She had two or three sheets of tattered paper with some
music written on them. Not a complete score, but ust a phrase or two on
each page. It wasn't much. Bob paid her for the sheets, took them
home, and they were the basis of Calliope Rag.
"All this took place over forty years ago. Details are lost in the
mists of time. To us, it was just someone with old music for Bob. We
didn't realize it would evolved into Calliope Rag."
Hmm. Interesting. In this case, there is no notebook, spiral or bound;
and Bob did not copy the music, but received Scott's manuscript (which
is now . . . where?). I'll run this by Bob & see how he responds.
Ed Berlin