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Kitten On The Keys
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Browse piano sheets by Zez Confrey on Zen Virtual Piano. Zez Confrey (1895–1971) was, according to the Library of Congress, a popular composer and pianist whose work epitomized a style known as “novelty ragtime.” His multi-themed works sounded like conventional ragtime but made quick excursions into different tonal centers, sometimes giving the illusion of wrong notes, and contained ear-tricking eccentric rhythms. A biography in The Syncopated Times says he led an orchestra while still in high school and then attended the Chicago Musical College, where he studied the time-honored classics and the more modern French composers Debussy and Ravel. By 1916 he was a staff pianist for Witmarks in Chicago, according to Wikipedia. In 1921 he wrote the composition that would make him famous, “Kitten on the Keys.” He claimed it was inspired by a cat walking across his grandmother’s piano late at night; the quirky and engaging rhythm caused a sensation. After World War I he became a pianist and arranger for the QRS piano roll company, and he made rolls and recorded for Brunswick, Edison, Emerson and Victor. Wikipedia adds that after the 1920s he focused primarily on composing for jazz bands and continued to compose until 1959.
Browse piano sheets by Zez Confrey on Zen Virtual Piano.
Zez Confrey (1895–1971) was, according to the Library of Congress, a popular composer and pianist whose work epitomized a style known as “novelty ragtime.” His multi-themed works sounded like conventional ragtime but made quick excursions into different tonal centers, sometimes giving the illusion of wrong notes, and contained ear-tricking eccentric rhythms.
A biography in The Syncopated Times says he led an orchestra while still in high school and then attended the Chicago Musical College, where he studied the time-honored classics and the more modern French composers Debussy and Ravel. By 1916 he was a staff pianist for Witmarks in Chicago, according to Wikipedia.
In 1921 he wrote the composition that would make him famous, “Kitten on the Keys.” He claimed it was inspired by a cat walking across his grandmother’s piano late at night; the quirky and engaging rhythm caused a sensation.
After World War I he became a pianist and arranger for the QRS piano roll company, and he made rolls and recorded for Brunswick, Edison, Emerson and Victor. Wikipedia adds that after the 1920s he focused primarily on composing for jazz bands and continued to compose until 1959.
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The Library of Congress says his work epitomized a style known as “novelty ragtime,” with quick excursions into different tonal centers and eccentric rhythms.
In 1921 he wrote “Kitten on the Keys,” which he claimed was inspired by a cat walking across his grandmother’s piano late at night.
A Syncopated Times biography says he attended the Chicago Musical College and studied the classics and the French composers Debussy and Ravel.