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RODOLPHE BERGER
born in 1864 in Paris died in 1916 in Barcelone 
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Modern Style - 1902
Joyeux Nègres - 1903 [MP3, 724 Ko] One of the first published instrumental Cakewalk in France, in 1903, and also issued on the Idéal 148 wax cylinder, which can be heard on this MP3. We'd like to thank Mr. Gérard FRAPPE for his kind permission of including here this incredibly rare document. This Cakewalk was composed by a «musique légère» composer, renowned at that time, who was nicknamed "le roi de la Valse". BERGER, composer of the famous "Amoureuse - Valse Lente" actually wrote numerous piano pieces, mainly dances (waltzes, polkas, redowas etc...) as well some other "characteristic” pieces. Best remembered for his «Amoureuse», he has composed "Joyeux Nègres" after hearing primitive Ragtime music played by J. P. SOUSA at the Paris World’s Fair in 1900. In fact, the music of this cakewalk could be compared to another American compositions of the same time, like for example «Policy Sam», composed by Joseph GIOSCIA in 1900 and featured in SOUSA’s concert repertoire. In every aspects (melodic formula, form, even title) BERGER has succeed in creating a beautifully inspired and genuine cakewalk for piano. | ||||||||
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ERMEND BONNAL
born in 1880 died in 1944 
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Composer, symphonic
orchestra conductor and church organist, ERMEND BONNAL (real name Joseph-Ermend BONNAL) loved popular instrumental music
and dances from the Belle-Epoque era.
He consequently wrote some piano solos, mainly in the Ragtime idiom, under the pseudonym of
Guy MARYLIS.
A complete biography with picture is available on the well-documented Ermend BONNAL website. The Flea (Ragtime) Shut up (Ragtime) All Right (Two Step) Ciudad Real (Tango) One step – nouveau riche Les Puces (One Step) Eunuques (One Step) | ||||||||
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FREDERIC CHAUDOIR
born ???? died ???? |
Cak - Walk - Irie - 1914
(Lyrics)
[MP3, 835 Ko]
This Ragtime song composed by a French composer was inscribed in the famous cabaret artist MISTINGUETT repertoire (her real name was Jeanne BOURGEOIS). Because she particularly appraised Ragtime music, she often sing and dance Ragtime song and Cake Walk dance for the Parisian audience in the 20's in her shows. She has also encouraged some "Hot Tune" writers like Henri CHRISTINE to compose ragtimes and syncopated songs for her. | ||||||||
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HENRI CHRISTINE
born in 1867 died in 1941 |
Dans Mon Aéroplane - 1905
[PDF, 1087 Ko]
Dans Mon Aéroplane - 1905 [MP3, 950 Ko] Sample of an old 78rpm Aspri disc from the early 1910's, with FRAGSON singing. This song is a typical example of "double meaning" lyrics song as it was popular during the Belle-Epoque era. A La Martinique - 1912 [MP3, 917 Ko] Adapted from the 1912 song "The Belle of the Barber's Ball" by Georges M. COHAN, originally sung by FRAGSON and then in 1916 by MAYOL. The French lyrics of this song are another typical example of the French racist mentality of that time, which reminds of the racial stereotypes in American minstrel songs. We'd like to thank the californian Ragtime artist Tom BRIER (his recordings published by STOMP OFF are highly recommended) for MIDI-recording this beautiful song. | ||||||||
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CLAUDE DEBUSSY born in 1862 died in 1918 
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General Lavine Eccentric Golliwog's Cake-Walk - 1908 [PDF, 148 Ko] Le Petit Nègre - 1909 [PDF, 80 Ko] Minstrels - 1910 [PDF, 161 Ko] The piano pieces above were composed by a classical composer, showing how Cake-walk rhythms could be "interpreted". Of course they are not genuine african-american cake-walks, but DEBUSSY took the ideas of syncopation and music structure to create a new and inspired chef-d'oeuvres. We'd like to thank Mr. Pierre GOUIN (Canada) for his permission of including here these PDF scores. (Original source: http://icking-music-archive.org/) | ||||||||
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LEON DEQUIN born ???? died ???? 
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We unfortunately found no biographical sketch
for this composer, although he was probably active in the 1890's-1900's. A cylinder recording Pathé 7021 dated from 1906 exists,
recorded by the military band of the French Garde Républicaine.
Le Vrai Cake-Walk - 1906 [MP3, 1091 Ko] Le Vrai Cake-Walk - 1906 (sheet music) [PDF, 1178 Ko] | ||||||||
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CLEMENT DOUCET born in Brussels in 1895 died in Brussels in 1950 
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Primilarly a Classical
pianist, Clément DOUCET was initiated to Jazz music during a short stay in the U.S.A ca1920-1923, before creating with his friend
Jean WIENER the famous "Wiener et Doucet" pianos duet that lasted until 1939.
Contrary to WIENER, he did not succeed in throwing his musical career again after WW2,
and he disappeared from the musical scene.
Yet a popular artist during his times, befriended with Jean COCTEAU and Darius MILHAUD, and pianist at the legendary restaurant-cabaret "Le Boeuf sur le Toit", Clément DOUCET is noticeable - as demonstrated by his disc recordings - for his beautiful and precise piano technique, coming from his Classical music training, as well his composition and playing style that incontestably come from the Novelty Ragtime movement that was "à la mode" at that time in the USA. As a result, he has composed, like Zez CONFREY did, some "Fox Trot arrangement" dixit the sheet music subtitles of Classical music themes by Frederic CHOPIN and Richard WAGNER Chopinata - 1927 (piano roll) [MP3, 2585 Ko] The MP3 recording above is the Pleyela hand-played piano roll cut by DOUCET, recorded on a PLEYELA grand player piano by the French collector and player piano specialist Vincent THEBAULT. Three versions of CHOPINATA Fantasia in fox trot rhythm on the motifs of Chopin were released under piano roll form during the 20's: two mechanically cut - by Salabert and Odeola - and one hand-played by the composer, under the Pleyela label. Clément DOUCET also made an electrical disc recording released in 1927 under Columbia D 13009 reference. Chopinata - 1927 (Columbia recording) [MP3, 1930 Ko] CHOPINATA was first recorded by DOUCET before Christmas 1926, when the Wiéner et Doucet duo was making his recording debut in the londonian studios of the Columbia company. As wrote WIENER in his autobiography, the CHOPINATA recording sold particularly and surprising well, and DOUCET was asked by the French division of Columbia to renew a matrix for CHOPINATA, which he did some monthes later, in Paris, almost note-for-note. It is this second version that on can hear above. Chopinata - 1927 (F. Elizalde & His Orchestra) [MP3, 2736 Ko] Chopinata - 1927 (C minor version sheet music) [PDF, 714 Ko] Chopinata - 1927 (C # minor version sheet music) [PDF, 635 Ko] Wagnereske [aka Wagneria] - 1927 (Columbia 78rpm #D13027) [MP3, 2057 Ko] Wagnereske [aka Wagneria] - 1927 (sheet music) [PDF, 654 Ko] Isoldina - 1927 (Columbia 78rpm #13027) [MP3, 1462 Ko] Isoldina - 1927 (sheet music) [PDF, 248 Ko] Hungaria [aka Lisztonia] - 1928 (partition) [PDF, 735 Ko] La Vache dans la Cave - 1926 [MP3, 2135 Ko] Griegiana - 1927 (unpublished) A Six Cylinder Rag-Time - 1929 [ZIP, 340 Ko] Chicken Pie - 1929 [PDF, 250 Ko] | ||||||||
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HENRI HERPIN
born ???? died ???? |
Maxim's Rag - 1913
[GIF, 98 Ko]
Published by F. D. MARCHETTI in Paris. | ||||||||
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JACOB GRIT born ???? died ???? |
The only fact we have on this musician is that he was
a French professionnal trombonist expatriated in The Netherlands towards 1920. Only two ragtime
compositions were registered at the French national Authors and Composers Society (SACEM), which were found
by Ragtime archivist Jean-Christophe AVERTY in the SACEM archives. GRIT's "Masseltopf Rag",
copyrighted in 1921, was possibly named after a popular theater actor of that time.
Benjamin INTARTAGLIA probably made the very first recording of it by reconstructing the piano part from the original
hand-written sheet music, for the France-Culture radio station in 2004.
Masseltopf Rag - 1921 [MP3, 367 Ko] | ||||||||
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EMILE MARTRON
born ???? died ???? |
No biographical informations for this French composer,
published by a Dutch music publisher.
Black Tommy (Intermezzo Two Step) [GIF, 144 Ko] Oh! My Niggergirl! (Intermezzo Two Step) [GIF, 194 Ko] | ||||||||
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RAOUL MORETTI
born 1893 in Marseille died 1954 in Marseille 
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Raoul MORETTI is best remembered nowadays
for his operetta and film works. He enjoyed popularity from his first success "En Chemyse" (1924), to
1932, with the movie "Il est charmant". However, his biggest hit has been the operetta "Comte Obligado"
in 1927. Classicaly trained, pianist and owning his own music publishing house in its town, MARSEILLE,
he particarly liked to write songs, most of them later featured in the "vaudeville" stars's repertoire,
among them Maurice CHEVALIER, MISSTINGUETT or DRANEM.
But his earliest publications, published under his own name in his 20's have been injustly neglected. Jean-Christophe AVERTY, one of the most important French specialist of Vaudeville and popular music spent many hours in the SACEM archives back in the 60's and 70's to find applications ("bulletin de déclaration") and dig out scores and music manuscripts related to Ragtime music in France. Of course, with his 20 music ragtime-like pieces, MORETTI was one of the most important French Ragtime composer that AVERTY discovered. 
Baby Fox Trot [GIF, 313 Ko] Buenos Ayres (Tango) Excentric Fox Trot [GIF, 338 Ko] Hurry Up Be Quick! Rag [GIF, 369 Ko] C'est Merveilleux (Fox Trot) Mayonnaise Fox Trot [GIF, 374 Ko] Mimi Coco (One-Step) [JPG, 297 Ko] Tank Fox Trot [GIF, 277 Ko] The Rajah Fox Trot [JPG, 326 Ko] Tommy's Love (Fox Trot Fantaisiste) Voilà Pourquoi - Because (Fox Trot) | ||||||||
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JOSE PADILLA
born in 1889 in Almeria died in 1960 in Madrid |
Inch' Allah One Step Valencia - 1925 [MP3, 1163 Ko] Typical example of a popular song containing some interesting syncopations from the Ragtime traditional patterns. Written by José PADILLA and originally with French lyrics by the famous song authors Lucien BOYER and JACQUES-CHARLES (cf. Pays de Rêve by Maurice YVAIN), this big hit song has been published in the United States in 1925 with the English words by Clifford GREY. Mp3 file above is a transcription, a scan of the original Ampico #207521 piano roll recorded circa 1926-1927 by a famous american pianist and band-leader, Vincent LOPEZ (1895 - 1975). Lopez was extremely popular in the entertainment field between 1921 and 1940, but nowadays his style is extremely critized by Jazz Historians. Nevertheless, I think that the good quality of his arrangements (in collaboration with the well-known arranger Domenico Savino) are fine and interesting. Lopez also worked for the Ampico player roll label between May 1928 through May 1929. He supposedly recorded himself his own arrangements but specialists now consider that Lopez may have rented out his name. The house arrangers at Ampico, Edgar FAIRCHILD and Adam CARROLL probably cut almost all piano roll marked "played by V. LOPEZ". Nevertheless, this piano roll arrangement is excellent. | ||||||||
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JULIEN PORRET born in Paris in 1896 died in Pessac in 1979 
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Even if he is know completely forgotten,
the professional composer and cornet player, Julien PORRET enjoyed a long, varied and successful musical
life that have been carefully retraced and written by one of his surviving sons, Henri PORRET, in a biographical book.
Primilarly a cornet player, Julien PORRET started to work in various parisian orchestras at age 16, in addition to a steady job in an amusement park where he formed and conducted a little band. In January 1915, Gabriel PARES, a famous military band leader of that time was forming a new orchestra, the "French Army Band", and hired Julien PORRET as a cornet solo player, and the whole band left Le Havre for an American tour that will led the band from New York City, Chicago and finally San Fransisco. There, PORRET wrote his "Powell Street One Step", being the first French composing a Ragtime composition in the USA. Even if PORRET never returned to America he'll keep an entire life interest in Jazz and Ragtime music, still composing classic-ragtime and fox trot instrumental compositions in the 20's for French sound-movies. (Complete Ragtime catalogue viewable here) If Julien PORRET should deserve a special place as a French Ragtime composer it is because - according to the californian Ragtime specialist Tom BRIER - "he caught the Rag flavor better than most European Ragtime composers". Swansea - 1913 [MP3, 188 Ko] The Lucky Tramp (Cakewalk) - 1914 [MP3, 302 Ko] Brooklyn (Rag Time) - 1914 [MP3, 345 Ko] Jolly Boy - 1914 (sheet music) [PDF, 223 Ko] Jolly Boy - 1914 [MP3, 232 Ko] Old Peter (Sand Dance) - 1914 [MP3, 232 Ko] Powell Street (One Step) - 1915 [MP3, 287 Ko] Tom Keene (Fox Trot) - 1918 [PDF, 501 Ko] Luck by Luck (Rag Time) - 1918 [MP3, 217 Ko] Real Pleasure (Rag Time) Plucky - 1921 [MP3, 208 Ko] Sliding Kitty - 1923 (sheet music) [PDF, 950 Ko] A Jopling Story - 1924 [MP3, 278 Ko] | ||||||||
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JOSEPH RICO born in 1876 died in 1957 
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Tommy’s dance (Rag-Time) American Picnic (Rag-Time) Bono Mam’zelle (Negro March) Dans ses grands yeux bleus ! (Fox-trot) - 1923 Margot que j’aime (Fox-trot) N’imitons pas les jaloux (Fox-trot) Nos cousettes (Fox-trot) Ocean blue (One-Step) Parisian flirt (Fox-trot) | ||||||||
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ERIK SATIE born in 1866 in Honfleur died in 1925 in Paris 
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Le Piccadilly - 1904 La Diva de L'Empire (Intermezzo Américain) - 1919 [MP3, 701 Ko] Ragtime Parade - 1919 | ||||||||
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John M. SCHOUTEN born in ???? died in ???? 
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No biographical informations for this French composer,
published by a Dutch music publisher. According to the cover of "By The Hudson River", SCHOUTEN was
a member of the "société des compositeurs" [SACEM?] in Paris. He probably was a violonist. "By The Hudson River"
is an intermezzo two step, and the trio, written in an old cake walk style, suggest that it's dated early in the 20th c.
By The Hudson River (American Sketch) [PDF, 853 Ko]
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DIMITRI TIOMKIN |
born in 1899 died in 1979 
Albertina Rasch Step - 1928
[MP3, 211 Ko]
| Creoles Blues - 1929 [MP3, 566 Ko] Extracts from a revue created at the Moulin Rouge in 1929.
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MAURICE YVAIN |
born in Paris in 1891 died in Suresnes in 1965 
Mon Homme - 1920
| Fox-Trot composed by the famous Parisian music-hall artist Maurice YVAIN and published by Salabert in 1920. Although this piece was first intented for dancing (solo piano score), Yvain often performed it with lyrics for his cabaret shows. The midi file posted here is a trancription of the Ampico piano roll number 261091 recorded in 1926 by pianist/composer well-known for his several musicals played in Broadway theater in NYC, Vincent YOUMANS (1898 - 1946). Pays de Rêve - 1921 (Mélodie Shimmy) Words by Jacques-Charles, L Jean BOYER & Music by Maurice YVAIN. Published in a little format by the Parisian publisher Francis SALABERT (cf the Historical pages of this site about the importance of Salabert in French History of Ragtime music), the cover features a beautiful drawing with a little picture ("as sung by") of the cabaret singer Watson, of which we know nothing at the moment. The music is a typical ragged fox-trot, which could be played as a solo, - I believe in fact that the lyrics have been added on the music only after. Si Vous N'Aimez Pas Ca (Jazz Kings Orch. 1923) [MP3, 2100 Ko] Gosse de Riche (Fox Trot) Mister Ragtime (One Step) [MP3, 788 Ko] J'me donne (Fox Trot Shimmy) Cache Ton Piano (One Step) | ||
