- Date: 1900
- Composer: Scott Joplin
- Period: Post-Romantic (1870-1909)
Review
As the headnote suggests, Scott Joplin co-wrote this work with his student Arthur Marshall. It was not Joplin's first collaboration, nor would it be his last: in 1899 this ragtime icon and Charles Daniels together produced Original Rags (though Daniels' contribution to the piece is believed to be negligible) and Joplin collaborated with Scott Hayden on Felicity Rag (?1901) and Sunflower Slow Drag (1901). In all these joint ventures, it is the style of Joplin that appears to be the dominant voice.Swipesy, for example, brims with that blithe, nonchalant sense one hears in so many of Joplin's ragtime classics, like the popular The Entertainer. Not that Swipesy is a thematic cousin -- its sprightly main theme exudes a jaunty and somewhat subdued sort of Gay '90s festivity, the kind of thing that would serve well as background music to the early silent film comedies. But it cavorts proudly, not comically in its bouncy rhythms and constantly evolving material. Its sense of effervescence never flags and its subtle-seeming flirtations from the upper register charm the ear. Lasting just over three minutes, Swipesy will generally be counted among Joplin's many gems, even if the young Arthur Marshall did have a hand in it. ~ All Music Guide
