A few more of my old compositions

[ted]

These ones are quite close to their written scores so it is correct to put them here rather than as improvisations.

[rachfan]

Hi Ted,

I listened to your four compositions here.  Without exception they are all very inventive, engaging, upbeat, and a joy to hear.  Very entertaining to say the least, and I imagine fun to play too.  The recorded sound is also quite good.  Excellent!  I hope that many others too will want to listen to these fine pieces.

David

[ted]

Thanks David, pleased you like them. Sagacity rag was my entry in a past  Joplin ragtime festival competition. It didn't get anywhere but drew some nice comments from the judges. Astral Rag came to me following a game of tennis against my father, who still played third grade and a strong singles at eighty-five. It captures the spirit of his philosophy, which was essentially oriental, hence the title, although he didn't view it in that way. The Calendulas is a memory of a neighbour, now long gone, who helped us with gardening when we first moved into our home. Sexy Filipina was written for an American jazz pianist who retired to Auckland. He didn't like it; too old fashioned for him I expect. The title is purely generic and refers to no one in particular.

It is true, come to think of it, that in both composition and improvisation I find the expression of the positive emotions comes much more easily to me than depicting negative ones.