Scott Joplin - An American Icon

Here's a pretty decent performance of the "Maple Leaf Rag" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLnCuXfQjUk

Scott Joplin - An American Icon.... If you read an article which discussed a 19th Century composer who wrote operas, ballet, and piano music. Whom do you think was being talked about? Unless you were musically very savvy, you might think the article was referring to a European composer, possibly Northern European, or perhaps Russian or Eastern European - yes, maybe Russian. ...Moreover, you’d most likely think the composer was Caucasian. - Well, guess again: Scott Joplin was not only an African American composer, but he was born in 1867, shortly after the USA Civil War, which was a time of great turmoil for the African People’s in America. Although slavery had been outlawed after the Civil War, many Anglo People’s attitudes towards people of African descent still hadn’t changed one bit. Joplin was one of the greatest and most original talents the USA has ever produced. He was the greatest master of Ragtime - his piano composition “Maple Leaf Rag,” written in 1899, became the status quo for Ragtime music. Ironically enough, many factors attributed to the decline of Joplin’s music, after his premature death from syphilis at the age of 47 in 1917, some of which may have been racially related, who knows?... Nevertheless, the 1973 Academy Award winning movie The Sting revived some of Joplin’s music again by featuring some of his most famous music, which included his piano solo composition “The Entertainer.” Shortly afterwards, his opera Treemonisha was produced in 1972. In 1976, Joplin was posthumously given a Pulitzer Prize for his great contribution to American music.

Joplin was born in 1867, although for many years it had been widely accepted that he was born in 1868. He was born into a musical family, so his musical education came early on. He showed great aptitude for the piano, but Joplin was also taught how to play the violin and the banjo.

Joplin’s parent’s separated when he was about 12 years old. Susan Curtis, a Joplin scholar, concluded that the separation may have stemmed from his parents having a difference of opinion about Joplin’s musical career. Joplin’s father felt his son should do hard labor, whereas his mother was decided on her son pursuing a musical career....

Joplin was very hardworking and spent hours practicing the piano after school throughout his youth. Amongst the people whom helped Joplin with his musical ambitions, a music teacher by the name of Julius Weiss stands out the most. In fact, it’s been reported that Joplin was so thankful for Weiss’ help, that when Joplin became famous, he gave Weiss a great deal of financial aid when Weiss was old and ill.

By the time Joplin died in 1917 from a syphilis related condition, he was one of the most important American composers of his generation.

The two most famous piano solo compositions that Joplin wrote are “Maple Leaf Rag” and “The Entertainer.”

In 1970, Joplin was inducted into the Hall of Fame.