Searching for an Identity
Cologne: Ragtime for the Rejuvenated Soul, Op.2 No.8
SM-000067745
- Alternative title
- Köln: Ragtine für die Verjüngte Seele
- Composer
- Antonio Martinez
- Publisher
- Antonio Martinez
- Genre
-
Jazz / Ragtime
- Instrumentation
- Piano
- Scored for
- Solo
- Type of score
- For a single performer
- Duration
- 3'43"
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Year of composition
- 2011
Description
This melody is the eighth destination in the collection of the series "Ragtime at the Red Light District." This piece occurs at Köln's Pascha Bordello.
The main character in this piece is a 28-year old mathematics teacher who recently became unemployed. This person was in Germany seeking redemption as bad choices clouded the main character's judgment over the years. One day, the main character saw himself suffering in eternity in the netherworld due to his sinful behavior.
For three days, the main character visited many places to do reconciliation, including the Kölner Dom, Basilica of St. Severin, and the cities 12 Romanesque churches to repent for 16 years of sins. The main character even attended a Palm Sunday mass at RheinEnergieStadion, where an esteemed German cardinal conducted the mass in front of 64,009 people.
Then, following mass, with dusk turning into night, the main character sought salvation in an unlikely place: Europe's biggest bordello, the Pascha. The main character was hesitant at first as the person did not want to resort to lascivious and lavish entertainment from the female patrons and workers, despite the high-class setting of the Pascha.
However, the main character saw a vision of a lively and robust Belle, the statue found outside Amsterdam. Belle unfurled a banner that read, "Respect sex workers all over the world." The main character had found the inspiration needed for his redemption and does the unthinkable. The main character rejects any offers from any woman for sex; instead, the women commended the main character for exhibiting humility.
This piece has a format of 4AABBA4CC8DD. Scott Joplin's "The Strenuous Life" and Mikhail Glinka's "Prayer" were the basis for this piece. Also, the inspiration for the 8-measure bridge leading to the finale was Grant Kirkhope and Graeme Norgate's theme for the “Converted Military Train, Heading East” from Goldeneye 007.