Scott Joplin

BORN: circa 1867, in eastern Texas

DIED: April 1, 1917, in New York, New York

BIOGRAPHY

Scott Joplin was an American composer and pianist who achieved fame for his ragtime compositions and was often referred to as the “King of Ragtime.” His father was a musician from North Carolina who quickly recognized his son’s musical talent, so he started piano lessons as a child. After his father left the family in Arkansas, Scott’s mother wanted him to continue with his music—but it was hard to find a teacher. A musician named Julius Weiss was impressed with Scott’s talent, teaching him for free and helping his mother find a used piano. By the 1880s he was able to make a living for himself playing piano in music clubs—but he always thought of ragtime as a form of classical music that should be heard in concert halls.

FUN FACTS

• His nickname was the “King of Ragtime,” but he called himself “The Entertainer.”

• He wrote two operas. The score for the first was stolen from him and never recovered, but the second was eventually performed—in 1972.

• He had perfect pitch, or the ability to sing any pitch without having to hear it first.

As a performer, Joplin was best known for his piano rags. A “rag” is a piece of music with a unique rhythm. Instead of emphasizing the main beats, composers accent the off-beats, also known as syncopation. In a rag, it’s as if the composer took a piece of music and “ragged” it or tore it up, because when the pieces are all put together, they don’t quite match!