Description
Published in 1905, this piece could be described as a concert waltz, weaving ragtime syncopation into a graceful triple-meter flow that gives it a sentimental depth beyond a simple dance. Listen for the modulations in its middle section and the way its long melodic lines are shaped, unfolding a wistful mood across more than four minutes.
Ragtime pieces centered on Scott Joplin's syncopated rhythms — a lively American genre that helped pave the way for jazz.
Sheet Music
Sheet music provided by Mutopia Project
About the Composer
Scott Joplin (1868-1917)
Scott Joplin was an African American composer born in Texas, known as the "King of Ragtime." Blending syncopated, buoyant rhythms with sophisticated harmony, he brought the genre to national prominence with the enormous success of "Maple Leaf Rag." This site includes 18 of his works, such as "The Entertainer" and "Elite Syncopations."
View all works by Joplin →