Scott Joplin and Arthur Marshall: Swipesy - Cake Walk
Kenneth Cooper, harpsichord.
Loeb Drama Center, Cambridge, MA (7/22/1981).
Harpsichord: Frank Hubbard.

In 1899, the 31-year-old Joplin agreed to help the 19-year-old high school student Arthur Marshall develop his musical skills by collaborating with him in the writing of Swipesy Cake Walk and probably also other rags. According to Rudi Blesh (1971, xxi), "Joplin was encouraging [Arthur Marshall and Scott Hayden] to compose, was helping them to arrange and write out their material, and himself writing themes to fill out his conception - all to assist them in getting publication."