Great Composers Note Reading Worksheet – Joplin

This great composers note reading worksheet on Scott Joplin. Joplin is called “America’s King of Ragtime.” Joplin was born in Texarkansas, Arkansas. His father was a former slave from North Carolina. His mother was a freeborn African American from Kentucky. Joplin was the second oldest of 6 children. Both of his parents enjoyed making music.  Joplin’s father played the violin and his mother played banjo and sang. Joplin began taking music lessons after school and really enjoyed it. Then his parents separated, and as a teenager Joplin tried playing piano on the weekends at party and restaurants to help support his mother and siblings.

Joplin’s Music Education 

One of Joplin’s teacher, Julius Weiss was a Jewish immigrant from Germany. Weiss understood that Joplin’s family had no money to pay for lessons so he taught Joplin free of charge. He taught Joplin classical piano music as well as introducing him to folk music and opera. Money was still tight for his family, so Joplin took a job with the local railroad to help his family. After a time he decided to give up railroad work and become a traveling musician in a band. He played the cornet in the band. It was then that he started arranging music for the band. 

Joplin the Composer

Ragtime mixes together several of the genres. Joplin’s piano teacher, Mr. Weiss had introduced to him to several of these styles. So it is no surprise that Joplin became interested in ragtime when he heard it. In ragtime music you hear the influence from classical styles, Sousa marches and the folk music from Joplin’s African American heritage. Ragtime is considered a purely American genre. And Joplin became a master at playing and composing rags. Joplin skyrocketed to prominence when he performed at the World’s Fair. This lead to the publication of the sheet music for The Maple Leaf Rag. This 1 piece went on to sell one million copies. The fame of ragtime genre didn’t last long. Jazz found its roots in ragtime and quickly grew and took over as the American favorite.  

 Violin Music by Joplin

You can hear Joplin playing the Maple Leaf Rag on some of the old player piano rolls that are still preserved today. Joplin wrote his ragtime for the piano, but several of his more popular rags are being arranged for violin and piano. They are being played on concert stages around the world by some of the top performers. Listen to Itzaak Perlman play Bethena: A Concert Waltz on the YouTube link below.