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  • a.k.a.: The King of Ragtime
  • American
  • 1867 (?) - 1st April 1917
  • Ragtime composer and performer
  • You may know him for two compositions: The Entertainer and Maple Leaf Rag

We cannot be certain when Scott Joplin was born, but our best information seems to suggest either 1867 or 1868 in Texas.

Scott Joplin was born as the son of a slave into a society that had just been freed from slavery. The America he grew up in offered few choices for a black man, and even though black musicians were often seen in entertainment venues, they were not regarded as serious composers.

Scott Joplin showed musical talent at an early age, encouraged by a musical family. By 1894 Scott Joplin had settled in Sedalia, Missouri, where he taught, organised one of his many bands, played in clubs and had his second ever piece published. This composition, a ragtime entitled Maple Leaf Rag, became a hit in America as well as Europe. This was followed a few years later by The Entertainer, another well known Scott Joplin composition which was made famous in more recent times by its use in the the film The Sting. A record was released in the UK with a song called Treat Me Gently on the B side which seemed to be incidental music from The Sting. In fact this was part of a slow march that Scott Joplin had written entitled Solace.

With his newfound popularity, Scott Joplin started to travel and began focusing more on his ambition to be regarded as a serious composer. As a consequence he wrote a “serious” opera, Treemonisha, , the first ever grand opera to be composed by an African-American. On its premier it was badly received, probably being ahead of its time.


By the time of his death on the 1st of April 1917, Scott Joplin's music had sadly faded from popularity, but was to have a revival 50 years later. Its popularity is undiminished to this day.

Even though there are other ragtime composers, Joplin can easily be regarded as the King of Ragtime, having done more than anyone else to popularise this musical genre. The term rag-time was probably born out of the fact that the music had “ragged time”, i.e. the right hand used many syncopated rhythms.

Many scholars argue whether Scott Joplin is a “serious” composer or represents jazz, but this debate totally misses the point. Some people point to the fact that ragtimes have no improvisation, are completely written out and often follow the form of European marching band music. But on the other hand the rhythms of ragtime are very much inspired by the African continent, relying heavily on syncopation and the melodies certainly have little in common with European classical music. So like jazz, ragtime is the result of the meeting of European harmony, form and instruments with African rhythm, melody and sensibility.

All in all Scott Joplin produced some 60 compositions - a life's work for any inspiring pianist to learn.

Song Title Arrangements Image
A Breeze From Alabama 7
Piano		  
Antoinette 2
Piano		 Antoinette
Bethena, A Concert Waltz 1
Piano		 Bethena, A Concert Waltz
Bethena Rag 1
Piano		 Bethena Rag
Bethena, Ragtime Waltz 1
Piano		 Bethena, Ragtime Waltz
Bethena (Ragtime Waltz) 2
Piano		 Bethena (Ragtime Waltz)
Cleopha 3
Piano, Guitar TAB		 Cleopha
Easy Winners 2
Piano		 Easy Winners
Elite Syncopations 5
Piano		 Elite Syncopations
Eugenia 1
Piano		 Eugenia
Euphonic Sounds 1
Piano		 Euphonic Sounds
Felicity Rag 1
Piano		 Felicity Rag
Fig Leaf Rag 3
Piano		 Fig Leaf Rag
Heliotrope Bouquet 5
Piano, Guitar TAB		 Heliotrope Bouquet
Kismet 1
Guitar TAB		 Kismet
Kismet Rag 1
Piano		 Kismet Rag
Magnetic Rag 5
Piano, Flute		 Magnetic Rag
Maple Leaf Rag 11
Piano, Guitar TAB, Banjo		 Maple Leaf Rag
Original Rags 3
Piano, Flute		 Original Rags
Palm Leaf Rag 1
Piano		 Palm Leaf Rag
Paragon Rag 1
Piano		 Paragon Rag
Peacherine Rag 5
Piano		 Peacherine Rag
Pine Apple Rag 2
Piano		 Pine Apple Rag
Pineapple Rag 2
Piano		 Pineapple Rag
Pleasant Moments 2
Piano, Guitar TAB		 Pleasant Moments
Pleasant Moments (Ragtime Waltz) 2
Piano		 Pleasant Moments (Ragtime Waltz)
Reflection Rag 1
Piano		 Reflection Rag
Scott Joplin's New Rag 1
Piano		 Scott Joplins New Rag
Solace 2
Piano, Clarinet		 Solace
Solace, A Mexican Serenade 1
Piano		 Solace, A Mexican Serenade
Solace Rag 1
Piano		 Solace Rag
Something Doing 2
Piano, Guitar TAB		 Something Doing
Stoptime Rag 1
Piano		 Stoptime Rag
Strenuous Life 2
Piano		 Strenuous Life
Sunflower Slow Drag 1
Guitar TAB		 Sunflower Slow Drag
Swipesy 2
Piano		 Swipesy
The Cascades 4
Piano		 The Cascades
The Chrysanthemum 3
Piano		 The Chrysanthemum
The Easy Winners 7
Piano		 The Easy Winners
The Entertainer 18
Piano, Alto Saxophone, Guitar TAB, Lead Sheet, Guitar, PVG, Vocal		 The Entertainer
The Nonpareil 1
Piano		 The Nonpareil
The Ragtime Dance 2
Piano		 The Ragtime Dance
The Strenuous Life 2
Piano, Guitar TAB		 The Strenuous Life
The Sycamore 1
Piano		 The Sycamore
Theme from 'Gladiolus Rag' 1
Piano		 Theme from Gladiolus Rag
Wall Street Rag (1909) 1
Piano		 Wall Street Rag (1909)
Weeping Willow 3
Piano, Guitar, Vocal		 Weeping Willow
Weeping Willow Rag 3
Piano, Guitar TAB		 Weeping Willow Rag