About the Raggyclopedia

Adrien Le Gallo

You might guess by my surname that I have French roots. My mother is from Brittany, France, and my father is a German Blues pianist amateur.

I was born in 1985 and grew up with Blues, Barrelhouse and Ragtime.

While studying classical piano, I discovered my father’s collection was filled with Blues & Ragtime music like Blesh’s “The All Played Ragtime”, CD’s from Wally Rose, Burt Bales and others. The most interesting for me was to try out the Ragtime titles in folios like “Ragtime Treasures” (1964) “Ragtime Rediscoveries” (1979) or “Ragtime Showstoppers” (1987). Early in my childhood I practiced some standards. Today I’m a secondary school teacher for French and Music.

University Libraries are perfect for Ragtime researches, with their Sheet Music Collections mainly in the US.
The digitalization project uncovers all kind of Sheet Music, including very rare music.

With my website I want to give access to my personal Sheet Music Collection, but also create a digital bibliography of International Dance Music, mainly between 1895-1925. You’ll find all kinds of genres including Ragtimes, Barn Dances, Characteristic Marches & Two-Steps, Fox Trots, Intermezzos, Waltzes and more. You have access to the Sheet Music, its source and further information to the song. The evolution of Ragtime to Novelty and Modern Idiom is also documentated, but only the public domain pieces are downloadable.

Have fun and let’s rag.