The Syncopated Artistry of Scott Joplin

Image:  Joplin painting by Sidney Holmes

Scott Joplin was christened the “King of Ragtime,” and he was a luminary. Born in the late 1860s in Northeast Texas, Joplin's journey in music was both a personal odyssey and a reflection of the transformative era in which he lived.. His compositions—- a fusion of myriad influences—-were profoundly influential and his legacy continues to reverberate through contemporary music.

At its core, ragtime's rhythm and syncopation have roots in African musical traditions, which were introduced to America through the forced migration of enslaved Africans. Black-American folk traditions, work songs, and spirituals significantly influenced the evolution of this genre, with their rhythms, melodies, and call-and-response patterns serving as precursors to structured ragtime compositions. Over time, these distinct rhythms seamlessly integrated with European music styles in the United States.

The European-influenced marching band music, particularly that of John Philip Sousa, had a significant influence on the development of ragtime. Ragtime composers, like Scott Joplin, often adapted the left-hand "oompah" rhythm of marching band bass lines and the right-hand syncopated melodies to the piano.

Thus, the  post-Civil War era was a bubbling soup of diverse musical traditions. From African rhythms, spirituals, work songs to European classical nuances, the period was ripe for the emergence of a groundbreaking style. Ragtime, with its syncopated rhythms, emerged as a captivating genre.

So, with its jaunty, syncopated rhythms, ragtime,  emerged in the late 19th century and became one of the most popular music forms of the early 20th century. Ragtime’s origins are rooted in a complex blend of musical traditions, social changes, and the evolving landscape of the United States.

The late 19th century was a period of significant migration and urbanization in the United States. Cities became cultural melting pots where different musical traditions – African, European, Latin – intermingled, leading to the birth of new genres, ragtime being one of them.  The commercial opportunities presented by the burgeoning entertainment industry of the time cannot be overlooked.

Image: 1906 Cover page to the sheet music for James Scott’s first commercial success

Publishers in places like Tin Pan Alley in New York City saw the potential in ragtime, leading to its widespread dissemination and popularity.  Ragtime music wasn't "discovered" by a single individual; rather, it evolved organically from various musical traditions. However, several figures were instrumental in popularizing and refining the genre.

The proliferation of the piano in American households during this period played a crucial role. As the piano became a standard fixture in homes, and with the growing trend of piano sheet music, there was a surge in demand for new and exciting music styles. Ragtime, with its lively rhythm, perfectly fit the bill.  Playing the piano in the home was a popular form of entertainment in the late 19th century, providing a conducive environment for the proliferation and popularization of ragtime music as sheet music became widely available.

Image: Composer Scott Joplin around age 35 (c. 1903)

While ragtime music was a groundbreaking and innovative musical form, some of the commercial marketing and presentation of ragtime, particularly in sheet music covers, promotional materials, and stage performances, exploited these existing racial stereotypes. These portrayals were products of their time and reflect broader societal attitudes, rather than being inherent to the music of ragtime itself.

Ragtime music evolved as a collective cultural expression, influenced by a fusion of African and European musical traditions and shaped by the social and cultural shifts in post-Civil War America. While certain figures, like Joplin, stand out for their contributions, the genre's evolution was a communal process. Its infectious rhythm and innovative syncopation resonated with a nation undergoing rapid change, cementing its status as a quintessential American art form.

Ernest Hogan, a black entertainer, is sometimes credited with helping to popularize ragtime. His song "La Pas Ma La" (1895) is one of the first published ragtime songs, and his later song "All Coons Look Alike to Me" (1896), despite its offensive title and lyrics, was a significant hit that brought attention to the ragtime style.

Image: Cover of Ernest Hogan's ragtime song, circa 1898.

Joplin is perhaps the most famous name associated with the style. His compositions, particularly the "Maple Leaf Rag," played a vital role in popularizing ragtime. Joplin elevated ragtime from its simpler forms, drawing upon his formal musical education to create more complex, structured pieces.

Before Joplin's prominence, many Black -American musicians in the Midwest and South were playing early forms of ragtime in the late 19th century. The style initially emerged as dance music in black communities, blending elements of African rhythms with European musical forms.

Joplin's environment was integral to his musical formation.

Born to a former slave, he grew up in a family imbued with a passion for music. His mother, perceptive of his talent, ensured he received formal music training, a rarity for many African-American musicians of his era. Joplin's exposure to various traditions, from African rhythms, spirituals, work songs, folk tunes, to European classical music, created a reservoir from which he drew inspiration.

It was in this vibrant backdrop that Joplin honed his artistry. While many of his contemporaries were either self-taught or learned through oral traditions, Joplin was privileged to study under Julian Weiss, a German-born music teacher who introduced him to the structured world of European classical music. Joplin's rigorous training became evident in his compositions, where he seamlessly wove the sophistication of classical techniques with the pulsating rhythms of ragtime.

Joplin's travels and performances in the Midwest, particularly in places like Sedalia, Missouri, further shaped his style. Performing in various venues, he encountered diverse musical tastes and preferences, imbibing and integrating them into his compositions. His engagements with contemporaneous ragtime composers and performers like James Scott and Joseph Lamb cultivated a dynamic exchange of ideas.

However, Joplin wasn't merely a product of his environment; he was its maestro. His first piece, “Original Rags,” and the subsequent “Maple Leaf Rag,” didn't just borrow the ragtime style; they became its gold standard. His aspirations transcended the immediate; he aimed to elevate ragtime from the realm of entertainment to a recognized art form. This vision led him to craft operas such as “Treemonisha,” a work that amalgamated African-American folk music with European opera traditions.

Image: cover is sheet music, Scott Joplin’s Original Rags

Joplin profoundly influenced ragtime and subsequent music genres, with many musicians drawing either direct or indirect inspiration from his work. While fellow ragtime composers like James Scott and Joseph Lamb made significant contributions in their own right, the widespread success of Joplin's music undeniably shaped their compositions.

For instance, Jelly Roll Morton, a pivotal figure in early jazz, showcased clear ragtime influences in his piano compositions and performances, likely inspired by pioneers like Joplin. Similarly, the iconic ragtime and jazz pianist, Eubie Blake, drew inspiration from Joplin's piano rags. The syncopation and rhythmic structures in Blake's music distinctly echo Joplin's signature style.

Stride pianists such as James P. Johnson, Fats Waller, and Willie "The Lion" Smith adopted a style that evolved from ragtime, and traces of Joplin's music can be discerned in their piano techniques. Similarly, although George Gershwin is renowned for his contributions to the American songbook and classical pieces, one can detect the syncopated rhythms and melodic structures of ragtime, particularly those popularized by Joplin, in some of Gershwin's compositions.

Image: Jelly Roll Morton about 1915

Image: The Lion about 1947.

The 20th-century composer and conductor, Marvin Hamlisch, revived interest in Joplin for modern audiences by featuring his music in the 1973 film "The Sting." Although Hamlisch acted more as an interpreter than a direct musical descendant, the film's soundtrack showcased Joplin's enduring influence. Contemporary musicians, such as Joshua Rifkin and Reginald Robinson, who have either specialized in or explored ragtime, undoubtedly owe much to Joplin's pioneering work in the genre.

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Additionally, while not all directly emulate Joplin's style, numerous jazz, blues, and even early rock 'n' roll musicians were indirectly influenced by Joplin through the broader impact he had on American music. His emphasis on syncopation and rhythm laid groundwork that is still felt in various musical genres today. 

Joplin navigated a life marked by a complex interplay of artistic success, societal prejudices, and personal challenges. A prodigious talent, Joplin's ragtime compositions, particularly the iconic "Maple Leaf Rag," were met with widespread acclaim, solidifying his reputation in the musical world. Yet, the broader context in which Joplin operated, fraught with racial and cultural complexities, influenced both the reception of his work and his personal life.

Image: Cover art for Reginald Robinsons, anthology, “Reflections.

Joplin's emergence as a Black composer in post-Civil War America was both an achievement and a challenge. While the general public enthusiastically embraced his music, there existed an undercurrent of racial bias. Ragtime, despite its popularity, was frequently dismissed or trivialized by white critics, reflecting the racial dynamics of the era.

This societal backdrop influenced Joplin's ambition to elevate ragtime from mere entertainment to a respected art form.   Joplin's first opera, titled "A Guest of Honor," was composed in 1903. Unfortunately, the opera's score was lost, and no copies are known to exist today. The narrative revolved around a dinner that Booker T. Washington had at the White House with then-President Theodore Roosevelt.

Despite its historical significance as an early opera by a Black composer, the exact details of its content and performances remain shrouded in mystery due to the loss of the original score.  His second opera "Treemonisha," which presented an Black-American cultural perspective, embodied this aspiration. However, its staging in 1915 met with a lukewarm response, stemming partly from logistical issues but also from an audience and critical base unprepared to fully appreciate its significance.

Joplin's investment, both emotionally and financially, in "Treemonisha" represented not just an artistic endeavor but also a bid for broader societal acceptance. The opera's initial lackluster reception thus stood as a poignant emblem of his professional struggles. Regrettably, Joplin’s first opera, "A Guest of Honor," remains lost to time.  Personal challenges like the failure of his operatic ambitions cast long shadows over Joplin's life.

As well , the insidious advance of syphilis, a disease he contracted and for which there was no cure, eroded both his mental and physical faculties. By 1916, this devastating ailment had robbed him of his ability to play or compose. Financial challenges further compounded his struggles. Despite the acclaim some of his pieces received, the music publishing dynamics of the era denied him the full financial fruits of his labor.

Image: Scott Joplin, ca. 1912.

Joplin's death in 1917 could have marked the end of his influence. However, the 1970s witnessed a resurgence in the popularity of his compositions, with the film "The Sting" playing a big role in this revival. Today, he is celebrated not merely as a ragtime composer but as an architect of America's musical heritage.

Scott Joplin's life and contributions encapsulate the journey of a prodigious talent, navigating the challenges of his era and creating timeless music. His synthesis of multiple musical influences, bolstered by formal training and personal experiences, resulted in a unique style that propelled ragtime into the spotlight. The "King of Ragtime" not only left an lasting mark on  music history but also created compositions that continue to enchant audiences across the world.

The recordings of Scott Joplin's music aren't traditional recordings. Joplin never directly recorded his music as we know it today. Instead, we have "piano rolls". When Scott Joplin performed on a unique piano, it marked a series of holes on a paper roll. When this roll is inserted into a "player piano", it reproduces nearly precisely what Scott Joplin originally played.

Resources

https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200035811/

https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200035815/

https://www.classical-music.com/features/articles/what-is-ragtime/

https://www.npr.org/sections/pictureshow/2022/02/07/1078314203/reconsidering-scott-joplins-the-entertainer

https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/joplin-scott

https://www.pianotv.net/2016/12/brief-history-ragtime-music/

https://www.biography.com/musician/scott-joplin

https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/joplin-scott

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Scott-Joplin

https://www.songhall.org/profile/Scott_Joplin

https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/scott-joplin-527/

https://historicmissourians.shsmo.org/scott-joplin/

Books

Berlin, Edward A. King of Ragtime: Scott Joplin and His Era. New York: Oxford University Press, 1994.

Berlin, E. A. Ragtime: A Musical and Cultural History. California: University of California Press, 1980.

Blesh, R.; Janis, H. They All Played Ragtime, 4th ed. Oak Publications, 1971.

Crawford, Richard. America’s Musical Life: A History. W. W. Norton & Co., 2001.

Curtis, Susan. Dancing to a Black Man’s Tune: A Life of Scott Joplin. University of Missouri Press, 2004.

Davis, Francis. The History of the Blues: The Roots, the Music, the People. Hyperion, 1995.

De Stefano, Gildo; Baraka, Amiri. Ragtime, Jazz & Dintorni. Milan: Sugarco Editions, 2007.

Due, Tananarive. Joplin’s Ghost. New York: Artria Books, 2005.

Gioia, Ted. The History of Jazz. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.

Hasse, John Edward, ed. Ragtime: Its History, Composers, and Music. New York: Schirmer Books, 1985. Accessed via Internet Archive.

Jasen, David A.; Trebor Jay Tichenor. Rags and Ragtime: A Musical History. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1978.

Jasen, D. A.; Tichenor, T. J. Rags and Ragtime. Dover, 1980.

MaGee, Jeffrey. “Ragtime and Early Jazz.” In The Cambridge History of American Music, edited by David

Nicholls. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998.

Palmer, Tony. All You Need Is Love: The Story of Popular Music. Book Club Associates, 1976.

Schafer, W. J.; Riedel, J. The Art of Ragtime: Form and Meaning of an Original Black American Art. Louisiana: Louisiana State University Press, 1973.

Waldo, Terry. This Is Ragtime. New York: Hawthorn Books, Inc., 1976.

Waldo, Terry. This Is Ragtime. Jazz at Lincoln Center Library Editions, 2009.

Waterman, Guy. “Joplin’s Late Rags: An Analysis.” In Hasse, Ragtime: Its History, Composers, and Music, 1985.

Waterman, Guy. “Ragtime.” In Hasse, Ragtime: Its History, Composers, and Music, 1985.

Whitcomb, Ian. After the Ball. Hal Leonard Corp., 1986.

Williams, Martin. The Art of Jazz: Ragtime to Bebop. New York: Oxford University Press, 1959.