The Anabanana Rag

Older students will take delight in the composer’s humor that is evident even before the first note of the piece is played. The tempo marking “sdrucciolando” (meaning “slippery and sliding”) could only be used for a piece with the word “banana” in its title! Ragtime is always appealing, and this solo is no exception. Hands separate practice is required, as the melody is chromatic. The left hand, however, stays in close position and does not have many big leaps, making the coordination a little easier than standard ragtime pieces. The right hand glissando at the end of the piece is fun to play and adds flair to the performance.