The Gray Fox Rag for Mallet Ensemble (5 Players) - 4 Min.; Ragtime for Solo-Xylo + 4 Marimba-Players (can be played on 2 Marimbas); 2 mallets; intermediate

Gray Fox Rag adds Ryan's own flavor to the genre of ragtime. However; like the gray fox itself, the piece is not what it seems. The piece explores some odd phrases of seven bars as well as a total of five different tonic areas, much more than the ragtime standard of two. This piece also begins and concludes in a minor key which is also unusual for its ragtime counterparts. Just like the piece, a gray fox is also not what it seems like either. A gray fox boasts a mostly red coat of fur despite its name suggesting otherwise. Seeing the similarities of the two, I decided to name one contradiction after the other: the Gray Fox Rag.