Ragtime: Ready to Play - Piano

“It’s never right to play Ragtime fast.” (Scott Joplin)

Most listeners associate “ragtime” with the music of Scott Joplin, one of the earliest African-American composers to straddle the divide between classical and popular music. It was Joplin who brought this musical style to the pinnacle of perfection.

The term “ragtime” stems from “ragged time” and describes the contrast between the sprightly syncopated melodies in the right hand and the accentuated “oom-pah” bass in the left. This collection offers deeper insight into Joplin’s art, a combination of folk music, African rhythms and classical piano music. Jean Kleeb has simplified the works and added fingering.