May Aufderheide wrote a half dozen or so rags, and most were published by her father’s Indianapolis publishing company, which he started to publish her works. Aufderheide may not have been able to write music–the actual scores may have been written out by Julia Niebergall from the tunes May composed at the piano. May Aufderheide’s “The Thriller,” dates from 1909 and is an excellent rag by a widely respected rag composer.
The edition:
AUFDERHEIDE, MAY(1888-1972) u. a.
Ragtimes
fue 1610 ISMN: M-50012-061-2
Aufderheide, May: Dusty & The Thriller!; Giles, Imogene: Red Peppers; Bolen, Grace M.: The Smoky Topaz; Ruddisill, Bess: The Eight O’ Clock Rush; Niebergall, Julia Lee: Horseshoe Rag; Giblin, Irene M.: Chicken Chowder; Cozad, Irene: Eatin Time (Kaluza)
American women pianists composed numerous ragtime pieces around the turn of the century about three hundred of which have been found and listed in recent years. Eight such pieces are published here; these syncopate rhythms are still as appealing as ever. Those who do not feel like continually practicing wide jumps with their left hand and octaves with their right should look for a partner and play these pieces four hands.
