Joplin – Maple leaf rag for piano (1899)

Scott Joplin’s “Maple Leaf Rag” (1899) is a foundational, highly syncopated piano ragtime piece that became the genre’s first massive commercial hit.

Known for its fast, march-like style, it solidified Joplin’s reputation as the “King of Ragtime” and was a crucial bridge between 19th-century popular music and early jazz.

Key details about the piece include:

• Significance: It was the first instrumental sheet music to sell over 75,000 copies, bringing national fame to ragtime.
• Style: It features a “catchy” melody with syncopated rhythms, a steady bass line, and challenging, rapid, jumping chords in both hands.
• Structure: It follows a strict 4-section, 5-part structure (ABACD).
• Origin: Composed in 1899, it was named after the Maple Leaf Club in Sedalia, Missouri, where Joplin played.