Joplin & Ragtime

Today's focus is on my favorite pianist, Scott Joplin, and his expertise: ragtime.

Ragtime is a style of music that relies on syncopation- that is, a 'disruptive' rhythm which can emphasize off-beats.  Wikipedia summarizes it well: ragtime "may be considered a synthesis of African syncopation and European classical music, especially the marches made popular by John Phillip Sousa."

Scott Joplin (1868-1917) did not originate the genre- but he did make it famous.  Of his 44 rags, many made it mainstream, to include Maple Leaf Rag and The Entertainers.  Ragtime (and Joplin) enjoyed popularity in two periods: ~1895-1918 and after 1970, when The Sting (starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford) featured many Joplin works and brought the style back into popularity.

I've played piano for almost 30 years.  I've listened to and played many different styles of music, but I keep coming back to Joplin's Ragtime pieces- I play almost nothing else.  I love the style for a few reasons:
- it's complex.  Playing Ragtime feels like an accomplishment- it takes me weeks to learn a piece due to its sophisticated fingerings and off-beat style.
- it's happy and fun.   Ragtime is almost always happy music- you feel joy listening to and playing it.
- it's distinctly American.  You see influences in Ragtime from a variety of cultures that make up America- our African and European heritages shine through in a delightful combination.  Images of Americana can pop into my head as I play- most commonly, wild west saloons, but Americans in many other settings also experienced and enjoyed this style through the years, from sophisticated urbanites to down-home country folk.  There's something here for everyone.

As you'd expect, videos abound on the Internet of pianists playing Joplin's works.  One such I enjoy is Cory Hall- his take on Joplin's Original Rag can be seen here.  Note that Hall- like many, regrettably- tweaks Joplin's work ever so slightly.  But here, his tweak his minimal, his tempo excellent, and the overall effect enjoyable and exemplary of the genre.

To date, I can play only seven Joplin rags with any degree of competence- Maple Leaf Rag, The Entertainers, The Cascades, Elite Syncopations, Paragon Rag, Magnetic Rag, and Original Rag.  It's not easy, but it is fun and worthwhile.  The biggest temptation- one repeated often enough to elicit printed warnings by the composer- is to play this style fast.  In Joplin's own words, "it is never right to play Ragtime fast."  But, fast or slow, these tunes are a delight to hear- so listen to some today.