Betty Lea Martocchio

Lickety-Split Rag

Ragtime music is always a student favorite, and this piece simplifies the style to make it accessible. The left hand is a single line divided between the root, the octave above and the fifth of the chord. This allows the hand to stay in one place instead of the jump bass typical of this style. The right-hand syncopated melody features the interval of a sixth and some chromatics. It is written in C major and cut time in A-B-A form. The quiet and more lyrical B section provides a nice contrast to the lively A section.