Searching for an Identity
Amsterdam: Ragtime for the Irresistible Soul, Op.2 No.4
SM-000067743
- Alternative title
- Amsterdam: Ragtime voor de Onweerstaanbare Ziel
- Composer
- Antonio Martinez
- Publisher
- Antonio Martinez
- Genre
-
Jazz / Ragtime
- Instrumentation
- Piano
- Scored for
- Solo
- Type of score
- For a single performer
- Duration
- 3'27"
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- Year of composition
- 2011
Description
This melody is the fourth destination in the collection of the series "Ragtime at the Red Light District." This piece occurs at Amsterdam's De Wallen.
The main character in this piece is a 28-year old private banker that was taking his first European vacation. This person sought to capitalize on an unfulfilled dream he had since his college career ended, and that was to visit Amsterdam. For nine days, the main character gained on everything Amsterdam had to offer. The main character began the day with an 81-minute jog at Vondelpark and, during his time, visited many notable sites, including Anne Frank House, Heineken Brewery, and Westerkerk.
The main character even got to watch an Eredivise game and an Eerste Divise game at Amsterdam Arena and the Amsterdam Olympic Stadium, respectively. For all these places that the person would cherish after visiting, the main character had one unfulfilled dream to visit. Strangely enough, since his days in college, the main character wanted to visit De Wallen.
As dusk turns into nightfall, the main character enjoyed a power walk where his first stop was not to bee the beautiful women that made the place busy. Instead, the main character made his first stop after the energetic power walk in front of a statue at Oude Kerk. Then as he proceeds into the area, the main character becomes enthralled by many working women in the area, both indoors and even outside. The main character also goes far as to ask one of the locals on a date, and the two people dance on the street.
This piece has a format of 4AABBACCDD. Scott Joplin's "Kismet Rag" and "Elite Syncopations" were the primary inspirations for this piece. Also, "Maple Leaf Rag" provided the basis for the format due to moving into a subdominant tone before finishing in the original key signature.