Red Rose Rag - James Moyer [DIGITAL]

This arrangement of the 1911 hit song, Red Rose Rag, is for 4 players on 2 marimbas and solo xylophone, and is accessible for mature high school percussionists. This is a welcome and enjoyable feature on a band or percussion concert.

Genre: Solo Xylophone + Marimba Trio | # of Players: 4
Series: N/A
Level: Intermediate | Duration: 1:45

Instrumentation
Score (8.5"x11" stapled booklet)

Xylophone: hard rubber mallets
Marimba 1 (4-octave)*: medium-hard yarn mallets
Marimba 2 (4-octave): medium-hard yarn mallets
Marimba 3 (5-octave)* soft yarn mallets

*Marimba 1 & 3 may share one 5-octave instrument. If a second instrument is unavailable, you may substitute a Vibraphone with light pedaling for the Marimba 2 part.

Program Notes
The Red Rose Rag was composed by Percy Wenrich (1880-1952) with lyrics by Edward Madden. It was published under the title of “Dolly Connolly's Red Rose Song” in 1911. Connolly was a vaudeville performer, who met Wenrich in 1905, and married the following year. The popular duo performed and recorded throughout North America. Wenrich had a very successful career, publishing dozens of ragtime works, and composing nine theater productions. "Red Rose" was one of a number of hit songs to his credit. He was a founding member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. "The Red Rose Rag" was performed by legendary comedian George Burns throughout his long career.

Unlike the instrumental xylophone rags of George Hamilton Green and Harry Breuer, "Red Rose" is a song in a ragtime style. The lyrics match the melody in the solo xylophone part.