Axel W. Christensen  (1881-1955)
Last updated: 09.10.23
According to the Internet sources given below, Axel Waldemar Christensen was an American (of Danish descent)) popular music composer, educator and publisher born in Chicago.
He opened his first ragtime instruction school in 1903 in Chicago and by 1918 he had schools in over 25 cities, including 4 branches in Chicago alone. He published ragtime instruction books and established the Ragtime Review which ran from 1914 to 1918 before being merged with Melody magazine (published by Walter Jacobs) in 1918..
Amongst his ragtime compositions The Cauldron Rag (1909) and Pathetic Rag (1913) both published by Axel W. Christensen, Chicago, Illinois, USA are of note.
He died in Los Angeles.
Websites:
url15.gif Axel Christensen: The Czar of Ragtime and His Ragtime Review An interesting article by Ted Tjaden-  
url15.gif Axel W. Christensen Biography and list of works by "Perfessor" Bill Edwards  
     Performer CD Title Supplier
       
Ragtime Music CDs:
cd15.gif George Lewis George Lewis' Ragtime Band of New Orleans: The Oxford Series Vol. 10 flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
     Title Attribution Instruments Source Remarks
           
pdf15.gif Axel Grease (1924) A.W. Christensen (music) Piano Ragtime Piano wvicon.gif
pdf15.gif Cauldron Rag (1909), The A.W. Christensen (music) Piano IMSLP wvicon.gif
pdf15.gif Christensen School of Popular Music (1908), The A.W. Christensen (music) Piano Ragtime Piano Pub.
pdf15.gif Glen Oaks Rag (1912), The A.W. Christensen (music) Piano Ragtime Piano Pub.
pdf15.gif Irmena Rag (1908) A.W. Christensen (music) Piano Ragtime Piano Pub.
pdf15.gif Marching Thro' Georgia (1909) A.W. Christensen (music) Piano Ragtime Piano Pub.
pdf15.gif Minnesota Rag (1913), The A.W. Christensen (music) Piano Ragtime Piano Pub.
pdf15.gif Nobody's Business (1923) A.W. Christensen (music) Piano IMSLP wvicon.gif
pdf15.gif Old Black Joe in Ragtime (1915) A.W. Christensen (music) Piano Ragtime Piano Pub.
pdf15.gif Pathetic Rag (1913) A.W. Christensen (music) Piano Ragtime Piano Pub.
pdf15.gif Press Club Rag (1912) A.W. Christensen (music) Piano Ragtime Piano Pub.
pdf15.gif Ragtime Rings the Bell (1915) A.W. Christensen (w&m) Piano, Voice Ragtime Piano Pub.
pdf15.gif Reinette Rag (1913) A.W. Christensen (music) Piano Ragtime Piano Pub.
pdf15.gif Star and Garter Ragtime Waltz (1910) A.W. Christensen (music) Piano Ragtime Piano Pub.
pdf15.gif Syncophonic No. 1 (1925) A.W. Christensen (music) Piano Ragtime Piano Pub.
pdf15.gif Syncophonic No. 2 (1925) A.W. Christensen (music) Piano Ragtime Piano Pub.
pdf15.gif Syncophonic No. 3 (1925) A.W. Christensen (music) Piano Ragtime Piano Pub.
pdf15.gif Syncophonic No. 4 (1925) A.W. Christensen (music) Piano Ragtime Piano Pub.
pdf15.gif Syncophonic No. 5 (1925) A.W. Christensen (music) Piano Ragtime Piano Pub.
pdf15.gif Take It Easy (1924) A.W. Christensen (music) Piano Ragtime Piano Pub.
pdf15.gif Teasing the Klassics (1923) A.W. Christensen (music) Piano Ragtime Piano Pub.
pdf15.gif That Potatoe Bug Rag (1916) A.W. Christensen (music) Piano Ragtime Piano Pub.
pdf15.gif Webster Grove Rag (1915), The A.W. Christensen (music) Piano Ragtime Piano Pub.
This list is arranged in chronological order and contains 50 works by Axel W. Christensen (1881-1955). It does not claim to be complete and represents only the number of items located. Keys: ER pdf15.gif (w&m)
Title Year Attribution Remarks
       
Mendelsohn's Wedding March 1905  wvicon.gif
Ragtime Wedding March 1905  Pub.
Christensen School of Popular Music, The 1908  Pub.
Irmena Rag 1908  Pub. youtube15.jpg
Cauldron Rag, The 1909  Pub. youtube15.jpg
Lange's Flower Song 1909
Marching Thro' Georgia 1909  Pub.
Ragtime King, The 1909
Star and Garter Ragtime Waltz 1910  Pub.
Glen Oaks Rag, The 1912  Pub.
Press Club Rag 1912  Pub.
In My Mercer Racing Car (w&m) 1913 John S. Meck (co-author)  Pub.
Minnesota Rag, The 1913  Pub. youtube15.jpg
Pathetic Rag 1913  Pub.
Progressive Rag, The 1913
Reinette Rag 1913  Pub.
Title Year Attribution Remarks
       
Star and Garter 1914
Annie Laurie 1915  wvicon.gif
Auld Lang Syne - Ragtime Version 1915  Pub.
Believe Me, if All Those Endearing Young Charms - Ragtime Ve 1915  Pub.
Home, Sweet Home 1915  Pub.
Last Rose of Summer 1915  Pub.
Massa's in the Cold, Cold Ground - Ragtime Version 1915  Pub.
My Old Kentucky Home 1915  Pub.
Old Black Joe in Ragtime 1915  Pub.
Ragtime Rings the Bell (w&m) 1915  wvicon.gif
Way Down Upon the Swanee River - Ragtime Version 1915  Pub.
Webster Grove Rag, The 1915  Pub.
When You and I Were Young, Maggie - Ragtime Version 1915  Pub.
Hurry 1916  Pub.
Moonlight 1916  Pub.
That Potatoe Bug Rag 1916  Pub.
Title Year Attribution Remarks
       
CoronationMarch 1917
For Introductions 1917
Pantaloon 1917  wvicon.gif
Quarrel or Struggle Scenes 1917
Turkish 1917
Nobody's Business 1923  wvicon.gif
Teasing the Klassics 1923  Pub.
Axel Grease 1924  wvicon.gif youtube15.jpg
Pomeranian Blues 1924  Pub.
Take It Easy 1924  Pub.
Syncophonic No. 1 1925  Pub.
Syncophonic No. 2 1925  Pub.
Syncophonic No. 3 1925  Pub.
Syncophonic No. 4 1925  Pub.
Syncophonic No. 5 1925  Pub.
Boogie Woogie Blues 1927
Title Year Attribution Remarks
       
Syncophonic No. 6 1929  wvicon.gif
Nightie Night ?  wvicon.gif
     Composer Title Performer
       
youtube15.jpg A.W. Christensen Axel Grease (2:39) Ragtime Dorian Henry
youtube15.jpg A.W. Christensen The Cauldron Rag (2:45) Ragtime Dorian Henry
youtube15.jpg A.W. Christensen Irmena Rag (2:52) Ragtime Dorian Henry
youtube15.jpg A.W. Christensen The Minnesota Rag (2:13) Ragtime Dorian Henry