Marigold

Mayerl was one of the most one of the most brilliant pianists from British light music scene between the two World Wars.  He was a kind of English Scott Joplin of the novelty rag. His music ranged from quasi ragtime to the seriousness of Eric Coates or Edward German. And perhaps because his music wasn’t either Jazz or “serious”, it declined in popularity in the decades after the composers death. He is listed as writing about three hundred short piano pieces, nearly all of which would have fitted conveniently on a the standard  three minute maximum 78 record disc  of the day; and half of which were published in the Billy Mayerl  Club Magazine.

Mayerl’s own playing would have been heard by many on the BBC Light programme broadcasts, and after being in great demands from 
both professional and amateur players he gave up much of his playing to create  “The Billy Mayerl School of Piano Playing” which flourished to many parts of the world. Marigold (1927) is arguably his most famous piece. He said it was “my bread, my butter and my jam!” and he  even named his house Marigold Lodge.