This is a mysterious find. Why did MC Bales compose this in 1902? Did the composer wish to honour the Rural Free Delivery (RFD) system, which went into effect in 1896? It was a laudable enterprise. (Still is.) But why a waltz? Are we to imagine the rural delivery people waltzing down country roads on horseback or in their flivvers, delivering the mail in spite of snow, sleet, gloom of night, or vicious five-pound dogs clamouring for attention? We know the composer also wrote marches, so why not a march? Who knows?

(We don't know whether the composer was male or female, so we'll hedge our bets.)

Anyway, here it is, played. And here's the sheet music, in case you want to play along.

See the video here or in the Pliny skin.

Dmitri Gheorgheni

11.01.21 Front Page

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