Maple Leaf Rag
Maple Leaf Rag | |
---|---|
by Scott Joplin | |
Genre | Ragtime |
Form | Rag |
Published | 1899 |
Publisher | John Stark & Son |
The "Maple Leaf Rag" (copyright registered on September 18, 1899)[1] is an early ragtime musical composition for piano composed by Scott Joplin. It was one of Joplin's early works, becoming the model for ragtime compositions by subsequent composers. It is one of the most famous of all ragtime pieces.[2] Its success led to Joplin being dubbed the "King of Ragtime" by his contemporaries. The piece gave Joplin a steady if unspectacular income for the rest of his life.
Despite ragtime's decline after Joplin's death in 1917, the "Maple Leaf Rag" continued to be recorded by many well-known artists. The ragtime revival of the 1970s brought it back to mainstream public notice once again.
Background
The "Maple Leaf Rag" is associated with the city of
Although there were hundreds of rags in print by the time of the "Maple Leaf Rag's" publication, Joplin was not far behind. His first published rag was "Original Rags" (March 1899). The "Maple Leaf Rag" was already known in Sedalia prior to its publication in 1899; composer and pianist Brun Campbell claimed to have seen the manuscript of the work in or around 1898.[5] Prior to its publication, Joplin anticipated that the piece would be a success—he told Arthur Marshall that "The Maple Leaf will make me the king of ragtime composers".[6][7]
The exact circumstances which led to publication of the "Maple Leaf Rag" are unknown, and there are versions of the event which contradict each other. After approaching several publishers, Joplin signed a contract with John Stillwell Stark on August 10, 1899 for a royalty of one cent ($0.37 in 2023[8]) on all sales of the rag, with a minimum sales price of 25 cents($9.16 in 2023[8]). The "Maple Leaf Rag" was published between August 10 and September 20, 1899, when the United States Copyright Office received two copies of the score.[9] It was reissued in 1900 or 1901 with a new cover showing a green maple leaf and a photograph of Joplin.[10] In 1903, Stark issued a "Maple Leaf Rag Song", an arrangement of Joplin's music with words by Sydney Brown.[11]
Structure
This section needs additional citations for verification. (September 2023) |
The "Maple Leaf Rag" is a multi-
It is more carefully constructed than almost all the previous rags, and the syncopations, especially in the transition between the first and second strain, were novel at the time.
Generally, the "Maple Leaf Rag" is considered difficult to play;[12] a pianist must have very good coordination in the left hand to perform it successfully, particularly for the trio, which involves leaps of two octaves. When it was published, it was considered significantly more difficult than the average Tin Pan Alley and early ragtime sheet music common at the time.
"Gladiolus Rag", a later composition by Joplin, is a developed variant of the "Maple Leaf Rag" showcasing Joplin's increasing musical sophistication, and is usually played at a somewhat slower tempo. In addition, the first strain of Joplin's "The Cascades", "The Sycamore", "Leola", and "Sugar Cane" are modeled on the structure Joplin created for the first strain of "Maple Leaf Rag".
The composition starts in the key of A-flat major and changes to D-flat major during the first part of the trio, then modulates back to A-flat major.
Lyrics
In 1903, Stark issued a "Maple Leaf Rag Song", an arrangement of Joplin's music with words by Sydney Brown.[11] Brown's lyrics tell the story of a poor man from Accomack County, Virginia, who stumbles into a ballroom where, in spite of his anxiety over the state of his appearance, he manages to wow the crowd with the Maple Leaf Rag. While the men are jealous of his dancing abilities and draw their razors, the women love him, and the "finest belle" sends for a carriage and the two of them ride away.[13]
Modern ragtime composer Ron O'Dell has commented that the song has characteristics in common with rap, such as the lyrical themes, the lyrics being written in the
Popularity and legacy
There have been many claims about the sales of the "Maple Leaf Rag", for example that 1 million copies of the sheet music were sold in the composer's lifetime, making Scott Joplin the first musician to sell 1 million copies of a piece of instrumental music.[2][18] Joplin's first biographer Rudi Blesh wrote that during its first six months the piece sold 75,000 copies, and became "the first great instrumental sheet music hit in America".[18] However, research by Joplin's later biographer Edward A. Berlin demonstrated that this was not the case; the initial print-run of 400 took one year to sell, and under the terms of Joplin's contract with a one-cent royalty would have given Joplin an income of $4, or approximately $150 in 2023. Later sales were steady and would have given Joplin an income which would have covered his expenses; in 1909 estimated sales would have given him an income of $600 annually (approximately $20,000 in 2023).[8][9]
In addition to sales of sheet music, it was also popular in
Soon after the publication of the "Maple Leaf Rag", the earliest recordings of the rag took place; band leader Wilbur Sweatman recorded it onto Phonograph cylinder a year later, but there are no known copies which have survived.[11][16][17] The earliest surviving record of the rag comes from the second known recording of the rag by the United States Marine Band from 1906.[19]
While Joplin never made an audio recording, his playing is preserved on seven piano rolls for use in mechanical player pianos. All seven were made in 1916. Berlin theorizes that by the time Joplin made these recordings he may have been experiencing discoordination of the fingers, tremors and an inability to speak clearly, symptoms of syphilis, the disease that took his life in 1917.[20] The recording of "Maple Leaf Rag", on the Aeolian Uni-Record label from June 1916 was described by biographer Blesh as "shocking ... disorganized and completely distressing to hear".[21] Berlin notes that the "Maple Leaf Rag" roll was "painfully bad" and likely to be the truest record of Joplin's playing at the time. The roll, however, does not reflect his abilities earlier in life.[22]
The piece was a selection in the
The tune continued to be in the repertoire of
In November 1970,
An 8-bit version of the music is used in the 1983
The "Maple Leaf Rag" is still a favorite of ragtime pianists, and has been described as an "American institution... still in print and still popular".[18] As the copyright has expired, the composition is in the public domain. It appears in the soundtracks of hundreds of films, cartoons, commercials, and video games. In 2004, Canadian radio listeners voted it the 39th greatest song of all time.[29]
In Joplin's will, he requested that "Maple Leaf Rag" be played at his funeral. When preparations were being made, however, his wife, Lottie Stokes did not allow it because she did not think it was a proper funeral song. She later admitted regretting that decision her whole life.[21]
See also
References
- ^ Jasen & Tichenor 1978, p. 87.
- ^ a b Edwards 2008.
- ^ Berlin 1994, p. 24 & 25.
- ^ Berlin 1994, p. 62.
- ^ Berlin 1994, p. 47 & 52.
- ^ Berlin 1994, p. 52.
- ^ Blesh & Janis 1971, p. 33.
- ^ a b c 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ a b Berlin 1994, p. 56 & 58.
- ^ Berlin 1994, p. 59.
- ^ a b c d Berlin 1994, p. 131 & 132.
- ^ Edwards, Robert. "Suggested levels in Scott Joplin's Piano Pieces" (PDF). San Antonio Ragtime Society. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
- ^ "Maple Leaf Rag (Song)".
- ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Rare Scott Joplin song -- Maple Leaf Rag Song". YouTube.
- ^ Jasen 1981, p. 319 – 320.
- ^ a b Edwards 2010.
- ^ a b RedHotJazz.
- ^ a b c Blesh 1981, p. xxiii.
- ^ a b Jasen 1981, p. 319–320.
- ^ Berlin (1996) pp. 237 & 239.
- ^ a b Blesh 1981, p. xxxix.
- ^ Berlin 1994, p. 237.
- ^ Berlin 1994.
- ^ "Scott Joplin Piano Rags Nonesuch Records CD (w/bonus tracks)". Retrieved March 19, 2009.
- ^ "Nonesuch Records". Retrieved March 19, 2009.
- ^ Billboard magazine 1974, p. 61.
- ^ LA Times.
- ^ Rich 1979.
- ^ CBC Radio 2004.
Sources
- ISBN 0-19-510108-1.
- ISBN 978-0-8256-0091-3.
- Blesh, Rudi (1981). "Scott Joplin: Black-American Classicist". In ISBN 0-87104-272-X.
- Benward, Bruce; Saker, Marilyn (2003). Music: In Theory and Practice. Vol. I (7th ed.). McGraw-Hill College. p. 203. ISBN 978-0-07-294262-0.
- Jasen, David A.; Tichenor, Trebor Jay (1978). Rags and Ragtime: A Musical History. New York, NY: Dover Publications, Inc. p. 88. ISBN 0-486-25922-6.
- Jasen, David A. (1981). "Discography of 78 rpm Records of Joplin Works". In Lawrence, Vera Brodsky (ed.). Scott Joplin Complete Piano Works. New York Public Library. ISBN 0-87104-272-X.
- CBC Radio (2004). "Essential Songs of the 20th Century". Archived from the original on October 9, 2004. Retrieved July 29, 2011.
- Edwards, "Perfessor" Bill (2008). "Rags & Pieces by Scott Joplin, 1895 - 1905". Archived from the original on June 6, 2009. Retrieved March 25, 2008.
- Edwards, "Perfessor" Bill (2010). ""Perfessor" Bill's guide to notable Ragtime Era Composers". Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved July 28, 2011.
- RedHotJazz. "Wilbur Sweatman and His Band". Archived from the original on June 21, 2013. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
- LA Times. "Entertainment Awards Database". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 17, 2009.
- Billboard magazine (1974). "Best Selling Classical LPs". Billboard Magazine (September 28, 1974): 61. Retrieved July 29, 2011.
- Rich, Alan (1979). "Music". New York (December 24, 1979). New York Media LLC: 81. Retrieved August 5, 2011.
External links
- Maple Leaf Rag - from the Mutopia Project (musical score transcription and MIDI file)
- Maple Leaf Rag (Joplin, Scott): Scores at the International Music Score Library Project