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Ragtime

Original Rags

Scott Joplin (1899)

DifficultyIntermediate
Duration3:38
Notes1,735

Description

Published in 1899, this is one of Scott Joplin's earliest works, written as the ragtime genre was still taking shape. Its writing is simpler than his later pieces, yet it already shows the bouncing rhythmic character that would define the style. It offers an important glimpse of Joplin's beginnings as a composer.

Ragtime pieces centered on Scott Joplin's syncopated rhythms — a lively American genre that helped pave the way for jazz.

Sheet Music

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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."

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Original Rags - Scott Joplin | Visual Piano