Ragged

Ragged was written for piano virtuoso Virginia Eskin; and was premiered Eskin on April 5, 2002, at an event titled “Chamber Music Meets Jazz,” sponsored by the Center for the Arts at Northeastern University, Blackman Auditorium, Boston, MA.

Among several styles of music, Ms. Eskin is a frequent performer of piano rags, and I was delighted as a young music professor to be given the opportunity to compose a rag at her request. 

In Ragged I endeavored to be consistent with some aspects of ragtime piano, in particular the rhythmically steady bass over a highly syncopated treble lead, but also sought to add a bit of irregularity to the steadiness of quadruple meter… hence the title Ragged, suggesting a lack of uniformity or unevenness of sound.

• Ballroom, Curry Student Center, Northeastern University, Boston, MA; March 8, 2001