Kismet Rag (1913) - Scott Joplin & Scott Hayden (With Score / Sheet Music)

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Description

Having already left New York by now to return to safer waters, Stark had surprised the folks back at home with yet another Joplin-Hayden rag, even after years of having no real connection between the two any longer. By this time, Hayden had been in Chicago for quite some time already as an elevator operator with Joplin hard at work with his opera. As for Hayden, he originally moved to Chicago no later than early 1904 to find new opportunity as a Ragtime pianist. Yet as with many just like him at the height of this trend, the common shared goal would never become fully realized, leaving his older compositions such as Kismet (circa 1903) to become the showcase of his true musical intellect.

As with other Joplin-Hayden rags, the opening strain is bouncy with a sense of good times, with the B section following suit with a light undertone. The trio is directly tied to the B section through a similar melodic pattern while the D comes to a satisfying folk-themed conclusion, clearly based upon an older folk strain used in other rags of the time such as the B and D sections of Harry Kelly's Peaceful Henry.

Being that the word "kismet" is defined as fate, it is clear through the Joplin-Hayden collaborations that "kismet" was a key word through & through. It is enticing to speculate what more could have come from their combined talents had they not gone their separate ways.
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"Kismet Rag" - Classic Piano Rag - Pattern: Intro A A B B A Trio Trio D D
Music by Scott Joplin & Scott Hayden, published by Stark Music Co. in 1913
Cover Artist: Henry Reichard

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

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

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