Winifred Atwell arrangement of Black and White Rag
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- Опубліковано 11 вер 2008
- Winifred Atwell's arrangement of 'Black and White Rag' was a hit in the fifties and one of her recordings of it was used as the theme for the television programme 'Pot Black'. It is played here by Mike Thomson, more or less as in the published sheet music.
How talented Mike was - RIP
🌺
i'm so sorry... RIP
Marvelously played! Ms. Atwell herself would be proud!!
Absolutely BRILLIANT!!!!!!! Thank you for all that you are and all that you do
Best wishes Nicola xxxxxxxxx
mike you are brilliant can I see you in concert please.
Thank you to you and to the others who have made such kind remarks. It's a funny thing, but when watching myself play, I'm struck by how easy it actually does look. The video gives no hint of the awkward hand positions, jumps or runs that have taken such a lot of effort! But it really does get easier with practice.
You look exactly like my grandfather in that position that it's frightning. I feel proud of my grandfather now even though it's not even him. hahaha.
very nice playing!
I just wanted to say how much I have appreciated the many kind comments that have been posted by viewers. Thank you all.
Brilliant. Happy memories of Pot Black which I watched from the start. :)
Me too. I was just about to mention Pot Black. :)
Excellent; thanks so much for uploading this wonderful performance.
Wonderful piano music and brilliantly played - amazing to watch your fantastic performance - very talented.
@lja1993 Hi, there! I'm so glad you liked it - thank you! I didn't notice the hammers while I was playing, but I did find that my ears were ringing for several days afterwards, because the piano is very hard in sound and my old eardrums just can't take the pressure any more. Winifred Atwell, who arranged B&W Rag, used to play her 'Other' piano with the front off, and I thought it might look better for a video. Best regards, Mike
You are a fantastic pianist.
brilliant playing as usual!
Thanks for posting =)
please , more of Winifred. How I wish I hadnt given up playing at 12. Thanks for sharing your playing.
Whoa! Well played mate! This takes me right back. My mum had a copy of this on an old 78rpm shellac record (Am I right in thinking she played it on her "other piano")
and this was like hearing it again (without the hiss and crackles..lol)
Thanks so much for posting this. You've made me feel 8 again.
Thank you! So glad you have enjoyed it. Best regards, Mike.
FANTASTIC!!!! I have been a professional entertainer for over 40 years, I am now a professional radio presenter...YOU ARE FANTASTIC!!!!
Thank you, Dave! I appreciate your comments, although I don't deserve them.
Wonderfully played. I can play piano a bit, but I could never aspire to something this fast or complex!
It's a funny thing, but I first came to this tune via Kenny Everett - who based one of his jingles on it. His lyrics went
Everything is wonderful on radio One
there's such a lovely lot of records and its bundles of fun
and every now and then there's turns of jolly jingles and all
so everybody is listening, having a ball
And so on. I don't think he used Winifred's record as the backing - the sound was rather different though the tune is the samel. I never have found out whose record he did pinch though!
Good work my freind👍🏻!
I love your little subtle changes. To me this is still the definitive performance of Winnie's signature tune. Keep well and hope you have a very Merry Christmas. Thanks for the enjoyment you have given us all.....
I can´t believe what I hear and see - how is such a performance possible at all ?
THANK YOU lea
Excellent, just like dear Winnie!
you are brilliant
Gorgeous!
So very, very nice!
The Atwell arrangement was published at the time and is pretty well exactly as she played it. It crops up occasionally on eBay, and the best thing to do would be to save a search and let eBay notify you when next it appears.
Best of luck!
Mike
OH YES YOU DO MIKE!!!
I met Winifred Atwell in Cheltnam when i was doing my national service in 1957.
A lady could play that with female hands? Amazing!
Any relation to Russ, Ron? :)
I'm quite touched by the many kind remarks. Thank you to everyone. Mike
💝💝💝 2022-ben
I am indeed Mike Thomson, and Honkytonk piano is just a convenient and descriptive UA-cam identity. Best regards, Mike
@zypp33 It's a pity to have given up, but perhaps it's not too late to pick it up again? It gets more difficult as you get older, or if you haven't built up the reflexes in your youth, but it's still rewarding - and it's amazing what can be achieved with practice!
When Winnie recorded it there was no editing, it had to be done in one take. Well played Mike.
Fantastic playing Mike. I'm currently enjoying a re-acquaintance with the piano after many years. I've got Joplin's 'Maple leaf rag' and 'Swipesy' under my belt, but the left hand technique in this piece at speed is a bit challenging for me at the moment! I just hope in due course I'll be able to do this piece justice in the excellent manner you have. Superb playing. Winifred would be proud! Would love to see some more of your playing.
Demontweeker Thank you for your very kind remarks. Maple leaf Rag is quite tough, and I reckon that if you can play that, you should be able to play any of the Joplin rags. B&W Rag takes a little time to achieve accuracy in the left hand. I find that I'm mainly watching the left hand rather than the right. Slow practice is generally the best answer to technical difficulties. All the best, Mike
@mikewoollett Hi, Mike. I'm delighted that you have been able to get some enjoyment from that video. I don't feel worthy of your very kind comments - but I'm very happy to accept them! I hope you too will have a lovely Christmas and a successful New Year (no doubt entertaining at the old pianna?). I might be out your way in 2012, as my stepson lives in Sydney. Best wishes and good health, Mike T.
@54mayford Thank you - glad you like it. It does sound a bit like the 'Other' piano, but that's mainly because I've been too mean to have it tuned!
Cheers, Mike
@sylvain414 Your best bet is to save a search on eBay and request notification next time a sheet music copy comes up. There is also a website with old sheet music for sale, although I don't have the name to hand.
Best of luck!
Mike
What notes do you play in the hand hand when you do the run down at 0:03? My sheet music has something different on it that doesn't as good
@bobbit1042 Have you got the published Winifred Atwell arrangement? It differs quite a bit from the original George Botsford composition as published. My version is as close as I can recall to the published Atwell arrangement - wrong notes excepted, of course! The run down you refer to has always caused me a bit of difficulty. It does come up occasionally on eBay, and there is a music warehouse of some sort that has a lot of original sheet music.
Great playing iam commenting on 10th April 2024, I love playing ragtime myself, like Scott Joplins the entertainer and Maple leaf rag, started learning this piece recent, iam humbly speaking a self taught pianist from age of 15yrs, iam 53yrs old now, and iam humbly pleased with my progress, well done Mike, greetings from wales uk 😀
What type of piano is this
@amazing763 I wish I could hit all the right notes! Eyesight is definitely a factor with advancing years, I find. Slow practice is the best single answer to technical difficulties, and then gradually build up speed having got the feel of the jumps. I still have to watch the keyboard when playing something like this. You might like to have a look at my write-up on how to play the Russ conway left hand style in the russconway website (it's a dot co dot uk site).
@dreamcastII See eBay auction 260892686742
boring