CHAS. L. JOHNSON: SCHOOL LIFE March & Two-Step:Fox 1912 Start Price USD 9.99 Current Price USD 9.99 Time Left - Bid Count 1 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Tuesday, November 18, 2008 End Time Tuesday, November 25, 2008 Location duluth, MN See more about 'CHAS. L. JOHNSON: SCHOOL LIFE March & Two-Step:Fox 1912' Description CHAS. L. JOHNSON'S "SCHOOL LIFE" March Two-Step; Sam Fox Publishing Co., Cleveland 1912 This is truly a march (or two-step) -- not a rag under an assumed name, as were so many around this time. But I list it as a "rag" because its composer, Chas. L. Johnson (1876-1950,) is a celebrated Ragtime man, with hit after hit:  Dill Pickles (1906); Powder Rag (as Raymond Birch, 1908); Crazy Bone (1913) & dozens more. Here, Johnson is composing for the market, joining other composers in celebrating "The College Life." His intentions are clear with this piece, scored in the keys of F and B-flat major. It's a march, and there's no doubt our composer was hearing the trombones, trumpets and woodwinds as he sketched out this barebones piano score. His pattern, of course, resembles the Ragtime pattern -- which we know borrows its pattern from the march. Here, Johnson opens with a 4-bar intro, then states three rousing themes like this: AA    BB    CC'    Interlude(12)    CC' 8va.  His last page (inside the back cover) prints a 32-bar Quartette vocal arrangement, which could be adapted for either SATB or TTTB, or for that matter could be a brass or woodwind foursome. And yes, it has words. In his first statement of the Trio ("C"), a set of words is added in very small type -- not set above the piano part in a separate staff. ("Sing to our school life, Hail to our team...etc.) His main theme is this 32-bar "C" theme, the second 16 of which varies considerably from the first, thus my designation as C': Its closing reprise is boosted up an octave and marked fortissimo, as any good march should be. The piece is printed openly on four pages, five systems to a page, plus the quartette sheet. Pianistically, it is very accessible -- a light, non-octave oom-pah L.H.and easy R.H. of single notes or two-note intervals. The "B" theme has a nice L.H. melody line (for trombone?), and the Interlude sounds ready for woodwinds exchanging bars with the tuba. It's a good piece of work - a very professional Chas. L. Johnson. This copy is in good used shape, the spine sealed (outside) is clear tape, with a couple of taped repairs on the back page turning edges. The "collegiate" cover is in good condition except for a purple-ink signature upper right. Max Morath Place a Bid!