An Afternoon of Ragtime: The Conroe Symphony Salon Series

CONROE, TX -- When I think of Ragtime, of course you have to think of Scott Joplin, and I can’t help but think of the 1970’s movie ‘The Sting,’ starring Paul Newman, Robert Redford, and Robert Shaw. The movie was noted for its use of ragtime music, especially with the melody of the classic piano rag ‘The Entertainer,’ written by Joplin in 1902. And when I think of Salon, besides the Vietnamese lady who does my nails, I think of Benjamin Franklin and Madame Anne-Louise Brillon de Jouy, who’s salon helped grease the slow moving wheels of the French government to help Americans in their march for Independence.

Madame Brillon was a cultured lady, well versed in private social gatherings where exclusive guests discussed art, literature, philosophy, politics, and music. Of course musicians were on hand, mostly as an accompaniment to the discussion. Ben Franklin was ‘It Guy’ in Paris during his diplomatic days, and without his bravado or ‘je ne sais quoi,’ Our Country might be a completely different place. To be invited to a salon was an honor, and went a long way to enhancing one’s reputation.

Fast forward several hundred years, and Conroe Symphony Orchestra President Bill Thompson, has been throwing his own Salon Series for several years now. ‘An Afternoon of Ragtime,’ was just the latest event this past Saturday, and it was wonderful to see like minded artists who have a passion for their love of piano, and ragtime. They, along with other rag enthusiasts who attended the salon, truly love the sound, and how it expresses the nature of a simpler time. Thompson, a member of the San Antonio Ragtime Society, uses his influence in The Alamo City to bring the artist to Conroe to celebrate the composers and music.

Ragtime is a musical style that had its heyday from the late Victorian to the Edwardian period. The name is derived from the music’s syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Composers such as Joplin, James Scott and Joseph Lamb dominated and remain popular to this day.

I thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon, with 10 different artists playing their favorite pieces from the past 127 years. Who knew that flutes could play Ragtime, but they can. A group called ‘Flute Rhapsody’ led by CSO flutist Stephanie Harris, played Joplin’s ‘The Sycamore’ to start off the event. And who knows, Joplin may have written the rag under a Sycamore tree, or stepped on a few to many spiked ball seeds. In any case, his brilliance has left us with a body of music that continues to entertain audiences over 120 years later.

It was great to see young artists at the event taking up the ragtime mantra, expressing themselves in the genius of composers who guide their fingers into making great music. Rhys Longmire, has been a longtime student of the piano, and his confidence at the piano will continue to grow. The audience loved his ‘Mississippi River Rag,' written by Judy East Wells in 1995, and despite its recent development, it has the feel of being composed from back in the day. Brandon Mathieson, a young man on first impression, you’d think to be a hard-core rocker, played Joplin’s ‘Kismet Rag,’ a composition by Joplin and Scott Hayden. Mathieson knows the piano, and thoroughly entertained the crowd with the rag, which had his hands jumping all over the place, nailing key after key to perfection. The youngest participant in the salon, Abby Jo Jackson, 11, played several short rags to great applause. AJ has been playing the piano for years now, and I appreciated her courage to go up in front of a group of strangers, and just start tapping the keys. The ‘Downright Happy Rag,’ was played very well by Jackson, and the future is bright for this young girl.

During the breaks I enjoyed conversing with the players. Getting to know about each one. They had their own stories and history in how they started with appreciation and love for ragtime. Some, despite their age, only recently started with ragtime, while others still under 35, have played ragtime for what seems ages.

Scott Dewar, a chap from England, and his American wife Belinda, married several years ago, and only recently discovered ragtime. They played a duet, with each taking a side of the keyboard to play ‘Kinda Careless,’ a 1924 rag by Zez Confrey, which incorporated some Blues, and was a gateway piece to bringing about Jazz. Another duet, Bill Thompson and Alecia Russell, played Charles ‘Luckey’ Roberts, ‘Pork and Beans.’ a quick and complicated rag that can take more than two hands to perform, unless you are Luckey Roberts.

One extraordinary gentleman who plays piano locally is Hayden Braun. He played Scott Joplin’s ‘Maple Leaf Rag,’ which is the leaf from the Sycamore tree. Braun was born blind and plays by ear, but his remaining senses allow him to concentrate on his mind to key genius. Michael Chisholm, although still young, has made a career of ragtime, and is in the collecting of its authentic sheet music. He played ‘Sycamore Saplin,’ by Theron C. Bennett, of which the sheet music is very rare. Chisholm’s play was flawless and masterful, and showed his talent and precision in his craft.

Some old timers to the Rag game were Brooks Christensen, Monty Suffern (an Aussie), and Jack Love. Each has been playing for decades. Brooks played a rag as a fifth grader, finding it garnered a better response than the other classical pieces he played, and has never looked back. And still a few years from retirement, Christensen still enjoys the crowd with his play. He entertained the salon with ‘Pickles & Peppers,’ a 1906 offering by Adaline Shepherd, a catchy tune that will have you rocking back and forth. Jack Love played a beautiful rendition of Joseph Lamb’s 1915 ‘Ragtime Nightingale,’ which encompasses some intricate keywork. While Monty Suffern, a Texas transplant of Australian rootstock, flew his experimental plan down from North Texas, for the afternoon to play ‘A Bohemian Companion,’ a work of his own devising written in 2005.

You should try one of The Conroe Symphony’s Salon Series, which are held at their rehearsal center located at 1500 N Frazier St, in Conroe. It’s a full afternoon of wonderful music. You can come and go at your leisure, it’s a great way to be one with the music, and live like Ben Franklin did. And it's a free event. The website for the CSO is: conroesymphony.org, and please consider donating to this wonderful organization.

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