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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 31 ธ.ค. 2023
- Happy New Year to everyone! 🎊 I hope you all had a lovely and joyful holiday season and a great start to 2024 so far!
Paragon Rag is one of my favorite Joplin rags as it is such a delightful and happy piece to play. This rag feels "elegant" compared to some of the other Joplin rags. I loved playing around with some octaves in this rag. I hope you enjoy this piece as much as I do! 💜
#paragonrag #scottjoplin #ragtime #ragtimepiano #joplin #joplinpiano #joplinragtime - เพลง
Ragtime might be the best music ever
I’d have to agree with you, Andy. Ragtime is the best!
You played the piano so well! This rag is so harmonious with an awesome rhythm. 🎹👏🎶 Have an amazing day filled with music!💓🎵🎶👍
Oh thank you so much! Your comment made me smile 😃 this rag really is harmonious with a nice rhythm 🎹 have a great day 💕💕
I especially appreciated the octave switches!
I’m glad to hear that! Some people don’t like octave switches, I personally do. I think they make some repeats fun if applicable 😊
Picture this: you’re in a spittoon in Texas asking for a ice cold beer and and a hearty meal you hear this banger playing in the background
Yess, that’s the vibe right there 🍻 this is def a banger of a tune indeed. Would love to see a saloon brawl one day with ragtime in the background 😂
@@Natt_piano Fab playing excellent, love this rag, I love playing Scott Joplin rags also like the entertainer and the maple leaf rag, this will be one of the new pieces I will be learning when I get my new Casio digital piano on Monday ( looking forward to it, 😀) greetings from wales uk
@@adrianthomas6244 hi, thank you for watching! I absolutely love Paragon Rag very much, I think it sounds so “elegant” with lots of different patterns & styles in there.
Yay! Enjoy the new digital piano coming your way 😃 this piece isn’t too difficult, it’s very much fun to play. If you can play The Entertainer or Maple Leaf, you should be able to play Paragon with no problem!
Greetings from the USA!
@Natt_piano thank you very much, looking forward to learn this fab Scott Joplin rag, all the best. 👌
I don't relish the prospect of inhabiting a spittoon. Maybe it's just me.
Bar patron: I shore do miss that ol' spittoon.
Barkeep: Guess y'oughtta know that's why we got rid of it . . . also, Miss Sally Ann says she heard a voice comin' out asking for a beer and a well-done burger.
You have a really impressive sense of rhythm, well done 🙂
Thank you! 🙏🏻
Ahhhh my morning rag with my coffee, I'm ready to face the day now! Really nice piece Natalie, I had never heard it before. Fantastic job, Natt! I only wish Joplin had written a Coffee Rag! Cheers! 🥂
What a great way to start the day, some ragtime & morning coffee ☕️ there’s so many Joplin pieces, right 😆 I’m glad you liked it!
Lol, some rags have some interesting names, I’m sure a “coffee rag” exists somewhere by a different composer 😂
Have a great start to your day! 🌻
I think this one has a better melody than the Maple Leaf.
You played it nicely. 😃
I have to agree with you! As much as Maple Leaf has influenced the Ragtime genre and is great in its own way, it’s not my favorite tune 😆 I think there are many other rags that are “better” from Joplin.
Qué bonito se escucha, me gustaría aprenderme esa pieza luego, muy bien tocado!! Este era el compositor favorito de mi abuelo José Martínez (que en paz descanse) durante los años 1980s; él tenía cassetts que escuchaba todos los días con música de Scott Joplin, y aunque lamentablemente no tengo recuerdos de él, heredé su gusto por Scott Joplin, actualmente gracias a internet principalmente, escucho y toco las piezas de Joplin.
Me encantó cómo tocaste esta pieza! Que padre caray!
Hello to you 👋🏻 thanks for sharing that with me, how lovely you had a grandfather that played Joplin rags and inspired you to also love this music and play 🎶 it must be in your genetics! He was a man of good taste, God bless him.
The internet makes it fun to listen to people around the world play and appreciate this music. Thank you for watching, and I’m glad you liked my playing for this cool rag; you’re gonna like it when you learn it! It’s fun to play 😎
Beautifully played
Thank you; Happy New Year!
Great interpretation ! ❣Bravo ! I wonder if Natalie has the Gladiolus rag in her repertoire. My personal favorite, especially the way Joshua Rifkin plays it.
Thank you! I’m glad you liked 😊 Galdiolus Rag is such a beautiful rag that I hope to learn one day, it seems a little too challenging for me at the moment. Joshua Rifkin surely is amazing!
Hello Natalie, very nice performance! You played it very fluently and your piano skills are getting better and better with every new rag you play! I also like how you used almost the whole spectrum of the piano by playing around with the octaves.
And yes you are right, it's a happy and at the same time elegant sounding piece. What I also really like about it are the very different sections that attract new attention after the previos sections (A: the catchy section; B: a foreshadowing of Zez Confreys "Kitten on the Keys"; C: block chords in the left hand and mirrored melodie motivs; D: the restless "metal" part).
I wish you a happy new year, I'm looking forward to hear your next rag performance
-Samuel
Hello Samuel! Happy New Year to you 🥂 Wishing you & yours a pleasant, happy, and great year ahead! I hope 2024 brings your channel new subs and growth! And I hope to see many rag covers from you this year, also!
Thank you; I def can tell that my skills/technique are improving, and that comes with more practice and comfort as I learn new pieces. Oh yes, I love to play around with octaves during the repeats if the octave changes fit the tune for me - keeps it fun that way!
I really like the way you broke down the 4 sections to Paragon! Joplin did well to structure and compose this rag, hence why it sounds "elegant". I love how there are classical, march, "rock", and your typical ragtime sounding patterns all composed into one beloved piece.
Thank you for wrtiting to me! Best, Natalie 😄
Another good one! :)
Thank you 😊Yeah Paragon is a really good rag!
Eccezionale Natalie...bravissima!!!
Thank you, Antonio!! :)
Very enjoyable! I couldn't enjoy it as much as you did because I only hear it once at a time. 😀 Would love to hear the practicing too!
Happy New Year to you too!
@@allspice55 ohh yes I definitely enjoyed this one! It’s so much fun to play and it’s a beautiful rag. Haha, you don’t want to hear the practicing 😅 best wishes to you on this new year 🎊
Ah yes. We had 4 kids that had piano lessons. Listening to the practicing is a bit like watching a garden. Your performances are like picking the ripened fruit. Thanks for sharing it!
@@allspice55Ah, how lovely that you had four children whom played the piano! That must be so nice to hear beautiful sounds from their practicing in your household, and to watch their playing "blossom" -- good analogy 🙂& thank you for your sweet comparison of my playing!
waiting for other 10000 videos"""🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹
You are so nice, Antonio! 🙏🏻🙏🏻 stay tuned for more music 🎶🎹😃
😊tunedissimo@@Natt_piano
Amazing!
Thank you! 😊
It's so nice dear Natalie😊
Thank you my dear friend! 🙏🏻
Wonderful 😊
Thank you; Happy New Year, Mary! 🎉
@@Natt_piano same to you 🙂
Once again Natalie very well done, I love the way you play and you pick some quite difficult rags, Iv been playing for about 60 years now and I wish I could play ragtime as well as you, keep up the good work, and a happy new year to you, Dave from the UK
Thank you, Dave! You are always so kind to me. Paragon is absolutely one of my favorites so far, it’s so beautiful.
Oh not at all - I’m sure you’re much better than me at Ragtime playing!! Happy New Year to you 🎊 Best wishes, from the USA
Very nice! I play too!
Thank you! Yes, I looked through your channel 😊
This is a beautiful piece, and you play it very well! Good job
Thank you! 😊
Wonderful rag, Natalie!!!! Very well played!!! Happy New year!!!!
Thank you!! 🙏🏻 I was very proud of my performance on this one. Happy New Year to you, my musician friend 🎉😊
What wonderful music , and so well done . Thanks again Natalie
Thanks so much, John! Happy New Year! Thank you for watching and supporting me during 2023!
Hello, dear Natalie, thank you very much again for your latest Ragtime. It is a nice surprise to wake up in the New Year and find another Ragtime being played by Natalie on YT. Beautiful !
So I wish you a Happy New Year with lots of pleasant moments for you - and your audience.
Best wishes from Germany - and good luck !
Hello dear Henry, Happy New Year to you & yours! 🎉 I am glad this new upload was a nice surprise for you, and a good way to start the year! I wanted to wait until all the holidays were over to post my latest video.
Wishing you all the best this 2024; thank you for being my YT friend and one of my first "fans" on here last year 😃 Best wishes from Los Angeles.
Hello Nat! I just listened to your piece🤗! Very beautiful and played divinely! It seems quite challenging from what I can see, but you execute and interpret it very well! My compliments to you for the passion you put into studying and performing these wonderful pieces! I believe it's one of the most beautiful pieces you've played! But if I have to tell you, I love them all! This piece is a good start to celebrate the new year! A big thumbs up, worth at least 100! See you later, Roberto🥰❤❤
Hellooo Roberto! Thanks for listening! I love this ragtime piece so much, it’s one of my favorites from Scott Joplin so far. It’s super fun to play and honestly it’s not that difficult for me! I had a lot of fun learning it and recording myself! It is one of the most beautiful pieces I have played so far, as you said 😊 I’m glad you love all my Joplin covers 🙏🏻 yes, opening the new year with an awesome & fun piece!
Have a great week my sweet friend, from Natalie 🥰❤️
@@Natt_piano Hii Nat! I wouldn't have missed it for the world! I was waiting for you to publish it😊! Yes, very beautiful indeed! I really enjoyed listening to it! It's evident from your expression while playing that you had a great time! You're very talented! For me, those pieces are quite challenging, requiring a special skill and a lot of practice! It might take me a year to play it well! Ahahahhahaha😆😂😂! It was truly a great piece to start the new year! Wishing you a wonderful week too! Ciaooo, talk to you soon from your friend Roberto!🥰❤❤
@@pianoverso aww you’re too nice, thanks very much for watching 🥰 Yeahh I had a great time for sure with this one, glad you can tell 😆 yeah you and I have different playing style! For you, these ragtime songs could be difficult (and some pieces can be very tricky as there are a lot of “off beats”), but for me ragtime piano playing comes so naturally! Classical music for me is hard, but for some classical is easy. Ragtime requires a lot of practice 😅 (and lots of anger when recording 🤣)
Thank you, dear Roberto, glad I started the new year in a beautiful way on my channel from this song 😌 I will wait for the next upload this week from you, I hope! 🤍❤️ ciao!!
@@Natt_piano Yes! I agree with what you're saying; the important thing is to have fun, that's why you succeed! For me, indeed, they would remain difficult! Just like how playing classical music would be difficult! Each of us manages to play the music that is in our hearts better! Well, I hope to upload something else by the weekend now! Ciaoo!! ❤❤
@@pianoverso 100% agree with you; the important thing is to have fun with what you do! And that’s why we both succeed with a lot of friends on here 😊 I love how you said that “each of us manages to play the music that is in our hearts”, great perspective 😃 ciao! I’ll talk to you later ❤️
Nice tune. well played.. Happy new Year.
Happy New Year, Terry!! Thanks for watching and supporting me all of 2023!
Absolute pure joy in listening to you playing the piano 🎹 sounds so beautiful. I have listened to it many times already, and will continue to listen to it as this is becoming my favorite. Cheers to you and happy new year!
Aw, thank you!! 🥰 This is one of my favorites so far, also. This piece is a fan favorite and alot of viewers seem to like this one alot also! Happy New Year, cheers! 🥂
Another source of excellent RGtime music! Awesome!
Why, thank you! Stay tuned for more, cheers :)
Very nice performance you played it flawlessly. Can’t wait for the next release. Great job! 👏
Thank you!! 🙏🏻 stay tuned for more!
Beautiful piano playing Natalie 🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹
lovely melody and harmonies
very talented
well done 👍👍👍
Thank you very much! 🙏🏻🙏🏻
Lovely. Do you ever get pain or fatigue in your arms or hands? Or do you feel pretty relaxed when you play?
Thank you 😊
Yes, I definitely get fatigued at times in my arms or hands, especially if I’m playing the same piece or section over and over again.
I generally am relaxed at first when I play, but the more takes I do to get the piece “right”, the more strain I put on myself unnecessarily 🙃
Beautiful
Thank you!!
beautifully done , I could tell by your facial expressions you were pleased as the rest of us were also . Sometimes you frown when a tiny error is made.
Hi Jon, thank you! I definitely was pleased with my performance of Paragon Rag. Ah, yes, I do make facial expressions when playing, especially if I make an obvious mistake 😆
Natalie, phenomenal job as always. You have a gift for the piano. Thanks for sharing this beautiful piece with us! Happy New Year to you.
Thank you so much!! This piece truly is beautiful and I’m glad you enjoyed it 😊 and Happy New Year to you, also!
Such an excellent music, wonderful sharing
Thank you for watching! 🙏🏻
Absoultely love hoe you always take your time throigh each performance and jusr have your fun with it! 😄 Bouncin' around and really making those keys work like never before. 😋
One of me faorites from Join, always thought the melody to be a fun one to play around with. Also, Happy New Years Ms. Anz!!🎉🥳 Cheers to many more wonderful moments to music, memories & more.
Happy New Year to one of my favorite Ragtime people out there!! 🎊😊 I hope you have an awesome 2024 and keep those videos coming! I’m glad your channel has grown so much, you deserve that; and I hope it only continues to grow more this year 🫶🏻🥂
Ahhh I’m glad you said that I take my time with each performance, I don’t think I do 😆 I usually start off on the right tempo I had in mind and practiced with, but I always find myself speeding up the tempo slightly during the middle to end of the piece, it’s just a natural thing I guess 🙃 I love playing rags with a bouncy feeling to add some liveliness to them 😋 and it makes it funner to play that way, too. Yes, Paragon is actually very fun to play around with!
@@Natt_piano Why thank you. 🤭 I actually nevr expected my channel to grow in the way it did, haha. Ain't no stopping for me now. 😆😆
And I relate with you on the tempo part. 😭 Everytime I practice alone I end up speeding up the tempo of certain rags and get carried away with the beat. :']
@@themajesticgeorge the best surprises are always the ones that you don’t expect for yourself, such as your channel growing 🙌🏻 You’re amazing because there’s so many of us out there (like myself), that appreciate the time and passion you put into every single video and to have all this amazing ragtime content under one channel - yours! 😃 Yes, haha please done stop 😅
Yeppp, I think the “faster tempo” comes naturally for many of us pianists to unintentionally speed up at some point of a song. I can’t help it, that’s the way it is for me but I try to be mindful to keep a steady pace throughout 🙃
@@Natt_piano Hehe, it's always the people & audience like you that help keep this channel growing the way it does. 😆😆 Don't leave your self out of the bunch when it comes to razzlin'-badazzlin' content out there! :D
And yeah, I suppose it just comes naturally. 😭 Find it to add onto the fun of things though, nothing like playing around and experimentation. 😋
@@themajesticgeorge the Ragtime community is honestly so special and kind! Aww, why thank you ☺️ I’m on here to make people smile and to keep this amazing genre “alive” ✨ And yes! Playing around and experimenting is so much fun, that’s why I like to play around with octaves to keep it fun and different 😃
very very good. fig leaf when?
Thank you, friend :D I hope you were able to play Paragon by now!
Ah, Fig Leaf is so beautiful, but that trio section seems a little too difficult for me. One day, I hope to learn it 😃
@@Natt_piano just use the method of brute force. repeat and repeat until it works. thats what i did and ifg leaf was my first ragtime i learned
@@IcePea379 you’re so right, repeat and repeat till I get it right! Slowly to start and then picking up the speed as I get comfortable with it. Wow - can’t believe Fig Leaf was your first rag piece learned!! It’s on my radar to learn one day for sure
@@Natt_piano best of luck. you can listen to my interpretation of it on my channel!
@@IcePea379 your first upload -- yay! I am going to listen right now! I am happy you gave it a leap! It can be nervous at first to put yourself out on YT, but it is fun in the end. Good luck with future videos :)
Hi there! Very nice playing :)
Which is the hardest rag in your opinion? I found Gladiolus to be one of the hardest rags.
The cascades is not easy too due to the third section
Hey there, thanks so much 🙏🏻
Hmm, from the rags so far I’ve learned, I think “Something Doing” might be the hardest so far (I plan on redoing that one in the future lol).
Absolutely I think Gladiolus & Fig Leaf Rag are the most challenging rags from Joplin (I never attempted those yet, but they just seem difficult haha). Have you tried Gladiolus before?
I completely forgot about The Cascades! It’s one you never hear too often. I’ll member your note that the trio is a little hard
@@Natt_piano The cascades is quite fine for me since I kinda memorized it, for the most part, but its tough nontheless.
I cant really be bothered learning Gladiolus, the first two parts are fine, third is the hardest and fourth is not too easy too, since I really suck when there are 5 flats.
Palm leaf rag is probably on the easier side.
Recording a full piece is hard. Hard to play justice with close to zero mistakes, I could barely do that honestly.
And yeah while Ive been playing for quite a long time, I never worked on technique too much so stuff like Clair de Lune/Pathetique 3rd/Grande valse brillante by chopin never really sound too good.
Even Joplin isnt easy to play well, at all
Overall I would say swipsey is the easiest rag of them all
@@DoubleOpposite got it, yeah it’s easier for sure to memorize pieces than to try and read while playing.
100% the trio section of Gladiolus is the hardest and what prevents me from learning the piece 😆 I give credit to those who can play it. One day, we will both learn it, I hope!
The limiting factor for me are my small hands 😭
Oh yep, recording a full piece is REALLY hard… I don’t have a single recording that is mistake free. I know there is no such thing as “perfect” anyway, so I’ve learned to accept any mistakes or pauses in my playing and uploads; no need for me to stress about it :) Whatever I get, I’ll take it lol. It takes me an hour to sometimes get a recording 😐
Swipesy is fun and easy for sure (I think Marshall rags are quite simple & cute anyway). Palm Leaf is pretty simple too from the way it sounds.
Well you probably have much better technique than I do lol since I had to teach myself how to play. I have attempted to play classical music, but it doesn’t click with me the way Ragtime comes naturally. As much as I love and respect classical music, it would be a disservice for me to play it and butcher it lol
@@Natt_piano Gotta hand it to you, you are really doing a great job being self taught, and I guess you are in your twenties or maybe thirties? Im late twenties, started at 10.
Well the pieces I listed are probably just objectively harder than Joplin's rags, so its not that you can't play classical... just that these rags aren't necessarily too hard (at least the notes arent too difficult).
I will probably never be able to play fantasie impromptu by chopin, or Liszt pieces.
The hardest piece I've ever played was the 1st Pathetique and it is really tough. Tiring, long, and never sounded that good even, honestly.
Recording is really hard. Some pianists like BachScholar do a fantastic job recording these pieces flawlessly, but he is on a whole other level than us I suppose.
I feel like you and I may be on a similar level. Who knows.
@@DoubleOpposite aw, thanks so much! I was so worried to post myself on YT in fear or negative comments & criticism, but thankfully I didn’t deal with much lol. Everyone (like you), has been so pleasant.
I’m 27 :) so yeah we’re like the same age. When learning the piano, I went straight into learning Ragtime, no contemporary music or any other genre.
Ah, I see, I don’t know much about classical music or how difficult those pieces may be. That’s fair that some works from Chopin or Liszt are just objectively more challenging than Joplin or some Ragtime composers’s works. It all comes down to different techniques and playing styles for the 2 genres, I guess.
I haven’t heard of Fantasie Impromtu or Pathetique before, I’ll have to check them out! Oh I bet classical can be tiring 😅 I’m sure you got Pathetique down well :)
Oh man, BachScholar is a whole other level! I’m in awe of his precision. He’s really talented in all genres. Him & Kristen Mosca both inspired me to play Ragtime actually wayyy back.
Hello, Natalie, with all the best wishes for a happy, healthy and successful year 2024 more than 1/3 around the globe from 10° eastern to 118° western latitude .
Again you allow me to admire your concentration and dedication clearly visible when you play the music you're sharing. Once more you bring me to smiles when you wordlessly comment your play with your facial expressions. When I listen to your play and I hear a difficult cliff approaching in your playing, I look at your face and you "tell" me how you feel about it. I admire your natural attitude which renders watching your video clips so much fun. I also notice your growing experience. With every piece coming you increase your standards. That is good to increase the tension during waiting time.
May I dare to put forward one request, please? I promise I won't harass you with more of that kind. Have you ever considered to play Ragtime Dance? It is mainly found performed with wind instruments in a jazzy style. I'd much appreciate to hear it on the piano, ragtime style, especially with your feeling for playing the tempo changes it contains in a fitting way.
Hello Joe; likewise as I wish you & yours a beautiful, happy, and great 2024 ahead 🎉 It was wonderful to meet you last year and I thank you for all the awesome support in 2023!
Ah, yes, my concentration is quite evident, I must say. I love that I can bring you to smiles! You have a keen eye for noticing all the details. I certainly do make facial expressions and "move around" as I play, so I am surprised you can notice while my face is not showing 100% in the videos! It all comes naturally indeed as I play with my heart. Ah, yes, I indeed tend to "tense up" if a difficult part or measure approaches, and I am progressing to "loosen up" a bit more!
I am honored you put forth a musical request! I have listened to Ragtime Dance in the past and listened to it again after reading your comment - it is a peculiar piece. I must tell you that Ragtime Dance was not on my scope at all, but as a little virtual & audible gift from me to you for your kindness and support, I will dedicate time to learning & recording that one. I am nearly done learning Searchlight Rag, and am devoting time to re-learning The Entertainer since I know I could do better than what I already shared on here. Once those are done and recorded, you can expect Ragtime Dance to be posted right after those 2 😁maybe sometime mid to late February.
All the best, Natalie
Hello, Natalie, thank you for your kind and grateful replies to all my comments so far.
Well, when I talk about facial expressions, I obviously mean your profile, which is clearly visible in the videos and shows all. I also think that the fact that you are not looking directly into the camera lens makes the natural appearance possible in the first place. You mention movements: Every musician moves in some way, that's part of the natural human habit when you are communicating in whatever way - and music is one of them communicating directly from heart to heart. I myself am singing in a choir and during every performance I notice how the audience instantly receives the feelings of the singers. After the performances, the feedback we get, among other items, always contains exactly this fact, that music across all barriers of language and cultural differences directly connects people's emotions.
Many, many thanks for your reaction and your reply to my inquiry about Ragtime Dance. You're awesome immediatly grabbing my suggestion and including it in your repertoire timetable. Do not hurry, take the time you need to perform it to your satisfaction, although the prospect of being able to hear this played by you, makes my heart jump. I am very excited, but I can as well wait, looking forward to all of the good ragtimes you fortunately share.
@@joeviolet4185 Hello, Joe! Yes, I know you were referring to my profile in regards to my facial expressions, and I'm glad they can be seen from solely the profile view! You're correct, humans nataurally move in any form of communication, whether it be verbal or musical. And yes, music communication is often from the heart!
I was curious to ask you if you are a musician, but I see you tell me that you sing in a choir - how lovely! That must be so nice for you to see "live" how the audeince perceives and reacts to their felt emotions from your performance! Indeed, music can connect us all from any part of the world, and we do not necessairily have to speak to communicate nor understand it, we just have to feel it 😃
No need to thank me; I am open to pretty much any Ragtime (not just Joplin, though I am focuisng on his work currently). That made me happy just now to read that you are happy at the prospect of hearing Ragtime Dance from me - I feel so special 😁 Indeed I won't rush it, but I should have your suggestion down by the end of next month after I post 2 more I had in mind first.
Cheers! Natalie
Hi, Natalie, I'd like to share with you how Ragtime Dance got me. That was ages ago when I was at university and there was a jazz season announced to take place as a series of live performances in a student's club. At one of the evening sessions Max Collie and his Rhythm Aces were there and they played it. I was immediately caught. And a few months ago I stumbled across it again on YT ( th-cam.com/video/YAE6WdpZvNM/w-d-xo.html ). That was exactly how they played back then, but imagine this in a crowded club, the musicians standing on a rather small stage in the middle of the room, only about 1 foot above the audience crammed like herrings in a can. The atmosphere was tense yet relaxed, everybody was part of the performance, all having a good time, no one caring about the lectures of the following day - simply a great night.
Still another comment: A few moments ago I added a comment in your video of "Something Doing". Having watched you playing paragon Rag again, I do not "see" any sweat in your face any more. Still your performance is concentrated and dedicated, but the overall appearance is not so heavy any more. Experience begins to evolve, what an encouraging development.
@@joeviolet4185 Hello, thanks for sharing this fun and memorable story with me! That really sounds so nice that your university had a Jazz season with different performers coming to play at the campus with some fun & lively music. I'm sure you had some great memories watching the musicians engage everyone and you getting to "feel" the performance as an audience member, without a "care" in mind those nights😃
I listened to the audio video you linked from the group that came to your university, it was interesting to hear! Ragtime played with string or wind instruments sound soo much differently compared to the piano. It is a different feeling and I can see why you prefer hearing ragtime played more "steady" or "slowly". I actually started practicing the first few measures of 'Ragtime Dance' the other day! The "stomping" parts seem fun -- I will see how to implement that.
Good observation -- I loved the way I played 'Paragon Rag' for many reasons; I think it is my best performance yet! I definitely felt very "loose" when playing it and I know I got better at appearing less "stiff" when playing. Oh, yes, I am super concentrated when I play. I think that comes from being a self-taught pianist as I have my limitations as I did not learn the "techniques" from a professional, I had to learn on my own. But, regardless, practice makes perfect! And I get better with each rag. My channel is serving as my "diariy" for all my ragtime playing & progress, and its sole purpose is to bring joy to people like you who enjoy and love this music like me 😃