Louis Chauvin

Ragtime musician

Louis Chauvin was an American ragtime pianist and composer, born on March 13, 1881, in St. Louis, Missouri. He was widely regarded as the finest pianist in the St. Louis area at the turn of the century and was a well-known figure in the local ragtime community, which included Tom Turpin's Rosebud bar where he socialized with peers such as Joe Jordan and Sam Patterson.

Chauvin's music was marked by its authenticity and modernity, with complex harmonies that were ahead of his time. He is known for having composed numerous pieces, although only three were published during his lifetime: "The Moon Is Shining in the Skies," which he created with Sam Patterson in 1903; "Babe, It's Too Long Off," with lyrics by Elmer Bowman in 1906; and "Heliotrope Bouquet," co-written with Scott Joplin in 1907. "Heliotrope Bouquet" is Chauvin's most famous work, for which he shares compositional credit with Joplin.

Despite his exceptional talent, Chauvin died at the young age of 27 in Chicago and is remembered primarily for this collaboration with Joplin. His cause of death was officially recorded as "multiple sclerosis, probably syphilitic" and starvation due to coma. However, a modern assessment would likely conclude that he had neurosyphilitic sclerosis unrelated to multiple sclerosis. Chauvin is buried in Calvary Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri.

Throughout his life, Chauvin was known for his wild and strong personality, his love for women and whisky, and his opium use. He left a significant impact on the ragtime genre, inspiring generations of musicians with his innovative harmonies and unique style. Today, Louis Chauvin is celebrated as an influential figure in American music history, and his legacy continues to be explored by scholars and enthusiasts alike.