Essay on Scott Joplin

Submitted By malusa123
Words: 374
Pages: 2

Scott Joplin, the son of a Freed Slave and a Freeborn Woman, was a first Generation Free Black American born around 1868. Joplin was born in Texas; it was a time and place where the air was electrified with a plethora of stimulating sounds. Gospel hymns, plantation songs, the blues, nature and human activity culminated into a great symphony of humanity. From an early age he showed great talent and desire to learn more about music. A German Music Professor, Julius Weiss, overheard Joplin playing and offered the 11-year-old free music lessons.
Ragtime as a musical form was born from marches, the cakewalk, and jigs and usually was performed on the piano or banjo. Ragtime's African American Roots gave it a shaky start due to rampant prejudice; however, Scott Joplin brought the form to maturity as Classical Ragtime. Joplin's influence spread ragtime across color barriers and brought recognition and appreciation to African American music. "Joplin's ragtime expressed the intensity and energy of a modern urban America" (Scott and Rutkoff, 2001). Joplin Died in 1917 at the age of 48, cutting short a remarkable musical career. Some of his works have been lost, however those that have survived influenced Jazz, Blues, and many other music forms.

In 1970, Joplin was inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame by the National Academy of Popular Music and in 1976 Joplin was awarded a posthumous Pulitzer Prize for his contribution to American music.

America's interest in Joplin and