# Scott Joplin

> American composer, musician, pianist (1867/68-1917)

**Wikidata**: [Q191499](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q191499)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Joplin)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/scott-joplin

## Summary
Scott Joplin was an American composer, musician, and pianist renowned as "The King of Ragtime" for his foundational role in popularizing the ragtime genre. His iconic works, such as *Maple Leaf Rag* (1897) and *The Entertainer*, reshaped American music and influenced later genres like jazz.

## Biography
- **Nationality**: American  
- **Known for**: Pioneering ragtime compositions and advancing African American musical innovation  
- **Field(s)**: Music composition, piano performance, banjoist, jazz musician  

## Contributions
- **Maple Leaf Rag** (1897): A seminal piano rag that became a commercial and cultural landmark, establishing ragtime as a major musical genre.  
- **The Entertainer**: A celebrated piano rag that gained renewed popularity in the 20th century through film and media.  
- **Ragtime Development**: Joplin’s structured approach to ragtime—blending classical techniques with African American musical traditions—elevated the genre’s respectability and artistic merit.  
- **Genre Diversification**: Composed works across multiple styles, including opera, marches, and waltzes, though ragtime remains his most enduring legacy.  

## FAQs
- **Q: What is Scott Joplin best known for?**  
  A: He is best known as a leading composer of ragtime, particularly for works like *Maple Leaf Rag* and *The Entertainer*.  

- **Q: How did Scott Joplin influence later musicians?**  
  A: His compositions laid groundwork for jazz and influenced contemporaries like Jelly Roll Morton, bridging ragtime to emerging 20th-century musical styles.  

- **Q: What awards or recognitions did Joplin receive?**  
  A: He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, recognizing his lasting impact on American music.  

- **Q: What instruments did Joplin play?**  
  A: He was primarily a pianist but also performed as a banjoist.  

## Why They Matter
Scott Joplin’s innovations in ragtime transformed American music by integrating African American rhythmic traditions with formal composition techniques. His work democratized access to complex musical structures, empowering future generations of composers and performers. Without Joplin, the evolution of jazz and popular music would lack a critical rhythmic and harmonic foundation, and the cultural prominence of African American musical contributions might have developed more slowly.

## Notable For
- Dubbed "The King of Ragtime" for his genre-defining compositions.  
- Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.  
- Namesake of the Joplin crater on Mercury.  
- *Maple Leaf Rag* (1897) became one of the most widely recognized piano rags in history.  

## Body

### Career & Musical Style  
Scott Joplin’s professional career began in earnest by 1895, focusing on composition and performance. As a pianist and banjoist, he blended classical training with vernacular traditions, creating a unique sound that captivated audiences. His work spanned ragtime, opera, marches, and waltzes, though ragtime dominated his output and legacy.  

### Major Works  
- **Maple Leaf Rag** (1897): Published during ragtime’s formative years, this piece became synonymous with the genre, celebrated for its syncopated rhythms and melodic ingenuity.  
- **The Entertainer**: Highlighted Joplin’s ability to craft accessible yet sophisticated music, later revived in films like *The Sting* (1973), introducing his work to new audiences.  
- **Operatic Ambitions**: Joplin sought to elevate African American music through large-scale works, though his operas faced limited recognition during his lifetime.  

### Legacy & Influence  
Joplin’s compositions directly influenced early jazz pioneers like Jelly Roll Morton, who built upon ragtime’s rhythmic complexity. The crater *Joplin* on Mercury honors his enduring cultural impact, while his induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame underscores his compositional legacy. By systematizing ragtime, Joplin ensured its transition from a fleeting trend to a cornerstone of American musical identity, fostering cross-genre innovation that persists today.

## References

1. Biographical Dictionary of Afro-American and African Musicians
2. Integrated Authority File
3. BnF authorities
4. Musicalics
5. [Source](https://www.pulitzer.org/prize-winners-by-category/260)
6. International Standard Name Identifier
7. MusicBrainz
8. CiNii Research
9. Virtual International Authority File
10. International Music Score Library Project
11. BlackPast.org
12. KANTO
13. Find a Grave
14. The Fine Art Archive
15. Great Norwegian Encyclopedia
16. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
17. [Source](https://www.tonyawards.com/nominees/year/1976/category/any/show/any/)
18. IdRef
19. CONOR.SI
20. BBC Things
21. ISWC Network
22. Quora
23. LIBRIS. 2012
24. Virtual Study of Theatre Institute
25. Regional Database of the Central Bohemian Research Library in Kladno
26. Associació músics per la cobla