The Chrysanthemum (1904) - Scott Joplin (With Score / Sheet Music)

Details

Description

This lovely composition appeared in the middle of a very productive yet tragic year for Joplin. As discovered through diligent research by musicologist Edward Berlin, the inscription on the original cover to "Miss Freddie Alexander, Little Rock, Arkansas" referred to a young lady of 19 that Joplin would marry during the summer. From there he would begin to tour between Little Rock and Sedalia, where he had once again temporarily settled. Yet upon his arrival there, Freddie was found to be confined to her bed due to a severe cold that would escalate into pneumonia. Just over twelve weeks after they were married, Freddie would die in Sedalia on September 10th, 1904.

This would mark the beginning of a period where Joplin would face compositional malaise, who had been potentially inspired to write The Chrysanthemum by Freddie herself. Advertisements for the piece claimed that it had been inspired by a dream that Joplin had after having read Alice in Wonderland of all things. Given Freddie's age, she may have been the reason for his reading of the somewhat psychedelic tome. In any case, it was this piece alone that helped lead Berlin to the existence of Freddie and her marriage to Joplin.

While The Chrysanthemum is syncopated, it is technically not a piano rag, although many artists and scholars have differing opinions on this point. It indeed contains four sections, a common trait of classic ragtime, the fourth of which is a full-length repeated interlude, also finding itself to follow the harmonic and modulation structure of many well-known rags. However, there are no syncopated patterns that extend over a bar line, and the only recurring syncopation (ms. 2, 4, etc. of section A and ms. 3-4, etc. of section B) is organized at the middle of a pattern and within one bar line. Even Joplin concurs, having presented it as An Afro-American Intermezzo (the American was deleted from the cover of later editions along with the dedication to Freddie. It is also worthy to note how the rare first edition had been printed with poor contrast, leading to the color adjustment later down the line.) With an intermezzo being defined as a short or light instrumental composition for piano, it is fair to say that this makes a gently raggy intermezzo!

The melody line in the opening strain implies many possible harmonic directions, some of which are explored in the repeats with counter-lines. The B section provides relief from the moving line along with stark dynamic contrast. The trio is in line with other Joplin trios of that period, stated largely in thirds and marked dolce, or "sweetly". And towards the finale, the repeated D section serves as an interlude before a final repeat of C, successfully drawing on the relative minor to great effect. Elegantly becoming the end of this lovely work, "The Chrysanthemum" may be considered as Joplin's most graceful piece to ever be penned.
-----------
"The Chrysanthemum (An Afro-American Intermezzo)" - Intermezzo - Pattern: Intro A A B B A Trio Int Trio Int Trio
Music by Scott Joplin, Published by John Stark & Son in 1904
Cover Artist: Unknown

Music description provided & written by Bill Edwards, learn more about it here:
https://web.archive.org/web/20220308214107/http://ragpiano.com/pbmusic_joplin1.shtml

Music performed by Guido Nielsen with his album "Scott Joplin: The Complete Works (Rags, Marches, Waltzes & Songs)"

℗ 2000 Basta Audio-Visuals
Producer: Piet Schreuders
Music Publisher: Basta Music
Performer: Guido Nielsen