“Nonpareil” in French means “unparalleled.” And in the world of ragtime, Scott Joplin is the “nonpareil” king. In Ralph Hicks’ arrangement of Joplin’s The Nonpareil, the xylophone takes center stage and is supported by an accompanying marimba quartet. This particular rag is characterized by fast octave passages, syncopated or “ragged” rhythms, and various ornaments, making it a great challenge for any daring mallet player. The Nonpareil can be found in The Golden Age of Ragtime, a compilation of five classic ragtime pieces arranged by Ralph Hicks and Eric Rath! This piece comes as a professionally printed and bound score and includes individual parts in PDF format for printing or for tablet viewing.