Scott Joplin,
once lost to obscurity, has finally found his place in the sun and been
accorded his rightful position as one of the first truly American
composers. He was one of the nation's music pioneers, for he was the first
to develop fully that pianistic form which could be considered the initial
American art form, the piano rag. On the one hand, it is amazing that it
took such a long time for the genius of this black composer to be recognized;
on the other, his recent rise from obscurity symbolizes the prevailing
attitudes of our past and present society. Although Joplin was respected
by his peers as "The King of Ragtime Writers," the musical establishment
refused to acknowledge his work as a bona fide means of musical expression.
Now, however, we have his collected works in print, as well as significant
articles and books about him written by some of the foremost music authorities
and critics on the nation. The continuing interest in Joplin is clearly
based on the fact that the musical world has finally come to realize the
uniqueness of his contributions to music.
American
composers. He was one of the nation's music pioneers, for he was the first
to develop fully that pianistic form which could be considered the initial
American art form, the piano rag. On the one hand, it is amazing that it
took such a long time for the genius of this black composer to be recognized;
on the other, his recent rise from obscurity symbolizes the prevailing
attitudes of our past and present society. Although Joplin was respected
by his peers as "The King of Ragtime Writers," the musical establishment
refused to acknowledge his work as a bona fide means of musical expression.
Now, however, we have his collected works in print, as well as significant
articles and books about him written by some of the foremost music authorities
and critics on the nation. The continuing interest in Joplin is clearly
based on the fact that the musical world has finally come to realize the
uniqueness of his contributions to music.
