Music

Scott Joplin The Entertainer

Background

Scot Joplin (1868-1917 ) was born and raised in Texas . He became a famous well known African American musician earning the The King of Ragtime ' title . Scott Joplin was the King of Ragtime , a composer who elevated banjo piano playing , a lowly entertainment associated with saloons and brothels , into an American art form loved by millions (Editorial , no date , Billboard .com . Joplin and Jelly Roll Morton are classical originators of Ragtime . Joplin grew up in a poor Black family , his father was a former slave , but died

in riches . He is a self taught talented creative musician . He lived next to a white family who granted him access to their piano . Joplin started out playing music in church . From there , he played in the now famous Texas Medley Quartet He later continued his music training with a German piano teacher . He attended high school in Sedailia MO , where he made the bulk of his fame and fortune of his entire lifetime musical career . He is most famous for Maple Leaf Rag , an original musical swing tune granting him enough royalties for the rest of his life time . Joplin wrote Maple Leaf Rag in Sedailia . Maple Leaf Rag caught the attention of two New York musical producers , John Stark and Son , managers who produced his song . After this , he continued his music in Chicago (BillBoard .com

Ragtime original music 's only accompainent is the classical piano Ragtime was controversial when Joplin invented it . The music gives classical piano a jazzy , upbeat swing tune making it easy to dance too New music genres are created by unusual combinations of existing categories . Ragtime is a combination of jazz , blues and classical . The syncopated rhythm of Ragtime music was the foundation for jazz , and the blues is considered the root of all American music (Jones , 2006 . The left hand , or the base , plays the accents , beats and down beats , the low notes of the keyboard , while the right hand plays the fast swinging syncopated rhythms , the high notes , or the treble , of the keyboard Ragtime music brought changes in cultural fashion , political events and music . The first ever Ragtime festival was recently held in Mississippi in March 2007

Ragtimes Musical Composition

All ragtime music is traditionally written in 2 /4 or 4 /4 time . It 's identity is the syncopated beats and accents . Ragtime was considered dance music . Dance music scores are written so that people without musical training can recognize beats , which is 2 /4 or 4 /4 time . Maple Leaf Rag was not Joplin 's only amazing hits . He was also famous for The Entertainer

Scott Joplin wrote The Entertainer , arranged by Mark Nevin . Throughout the song , the dynamics and articulation is played in mezzo forte . The arrangement for Entertainer , as all of Joplin 's songs , were very articulated , specific notes , meters and measures . As one would expect Joplin was very specific in the meter notation of his pieces stating that ragtime should never be played fast...