“Stoptime Rag” (1910) is one of Scott Joplin’s most joyful compositions. Throughout the piece the music will occasionally “stop” and the pianist is instructed to “stamp” his heel on the first or second beat of the measure. This was a device often used in tap or other types of dancing when the dancers would “fill in” the empty space. Because of a physical disability, William Appling was not able to do the actual stamping with his foot, so with his characteristic imagination, he decided to tap with his fingers or make popping or other sounds with his mouth where the stamps would go. Here is his performance, complete with his own spoken comments at the end.