Description
Published in 1899, this is the breakthrough hit that made Joplin famous, and it remains the piece most closely associated with the ragtime genre as a whole. Its bouncing syncopations sit atop a steady, regular bass pattern in the left hand, packing lively energy into a short span. It also makes a fine intermediate-level exercise for developing a basic ragtime rhythmic feel.
Ragtime pieces centered on Scott Joplin's syncopated rhythms — a lively American genre that helped pave the way for jazz.
Browse all songs in Ragtime →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 →