Scott Joplin: Complete Piano Works: Rags, Waltzes, Marches by Scott Joplin (1985-08-02)

Overall this book of Scott joplin's complete rags, waltzes and marches is excellent, I did notice that a few pages hadn't been cut at the bottom meaning two pages were joined together, rather than sending the book back I used a utility knife to cut the pages, also another slightly worrying problem is the ink used to print the music tends to rub off when using an eraser, if you like to work out the fingering by writing them in for future reference then be careful not to make any mistakes ! If you rub too hard the ink fades, otherwise I'm very happy with the book and recommend it to anyone interested in this great music.

Love ragtime music and especially Scott Joplin since I started playing 15 years ago. It gives me a break from classical music. This book contains all of Joplin’s solo piano works l

Great value, one volume all works

A very good and recommended book for Joplin-lovers! All sheet music is big enough and it comes with a large introduction on Joplin and how his music was received back in the day. As it's such a thick book it needs pegs on the sheet music stand to hold the pages back from flicking forwards, but otherwise no problems.Great book with all his pieces in and at a brilliant price, thus highly recommended!!

5 Star

This was bought as a gift for my son. There is nothing more I can really say about it. It is just sheet music.

This wonderful collection of the piano music of Scott Joplin (1867 - 1917) was originally published by the New York Public Library in 1971 and edited by Vera Brodsky Lawrence. With additions in 1981, the book includes the score for virtually all of Joplin's solo piano works, including 41 "original works", 7 "collaborative works", 3 "miscellaneous works", and 3 additional rags added to the volume in 1981 when permission was secured from the holder of the copyright. I have had this volume for many years and continue to study and learn from it, in playing familiar works and learning new pieces. The volume is an endless source of delight and inspiration.Born in east Texas to a father who had been a former slave and to a free black mother, Joplin showed musical talent at an early age and received free piano lessons oriented towards classical music from a local white teacher who recognized his talent. At 14, Joplin left home and assumed a wandering life in hopes of furthering his dream to become a composer and musician. He ultimately settled in St. Louis and Sedalia, Missouri where he began to compose the ragtime that would make him famous. Late in life Joplin moved to New York City where he continued to compose ragtime while spending most of his energy on his opera "Treemonisha." His music was in danger of being forgotten until interest revived in the early 1970s through the use of his music in the movie, "The Sting", the revival of "Treemonisha" and the publication of this volume of his music.This volume includes familiar and unfamiliar Joplin. The most familiar of his ragtime works are the "Maple Leaf Rag" (1897) and "The Entertainer" (1902) which became famous when used in "The Sting." Among the other rags I have enjoyed and learned to play over the years are "Elite Syncopations" (1902), "Weeping Willow Rag" (1903) , "Pine Apple Rag" (1908), "Wall Street Rag" (1909), and several others. Joplin also combined with friends and students in writing some pieces, including "Heliotrope Bouquet" (1907) with the gifted but troubled Louis Chauvin and "Swipesy" (1900) which Joplin wrote with his young student, Arthur Marshall. Joplin also wrote beautiful waltzes, including "Bethena" (1905) and "Binks Waltz" (1905). He also wrote a tango called "Solace" (1909).Joplin's music is varied, strongly syncopated, and melodious. Joplin tried to combine African American and classical music idioms to help create a distinctively American music. This is an elusive goal that has been pursued by many other composers. His piano music is not easy to play but is generally within the reach of determined amateurs, such as myself. Joplin wrote a set of exercises, the "School of Ragtime" (1908) to help aspiring pianists learn the skills needed to play his music. Joplin also said regarding his works:"That real ragtime of the higher class is rather difficult to play is rather a painful truth which most pianists have discovered. Syncopations are no indications of light and trashy music, and to shy bricks at `hateful ragtime' no longer passes for musical culture."In addition to the musical scores, this book includes a lengthy introduction "Scott Joplin: Black-American Classicist" by ragtime scholar Rudy Blesh which offers an excellent overview of the composer's life and music and of performance practices. Over the years, I have played Joplin for my own enjoyment, for friends, and at various venues on a volunteer basis. When I play for others, I generally combine classical works, with a performance of Joplin's "Bethena" together with some of the ragtime works. I find that Joplin's music is almost invariably the best-received of the works I perform by both knowledgeable and less-knowledgeable audiences.Scott Joplin remains an American treasure. As Joplin wished, his music breaks down claimed musical boundaries between classical and popular. This volume will bring joy to lovers of the piano and to serious pianists, whether amateur or professional.Robin Friedman

This songbook er absolutely amazing! You get a lot of music for your money and good music indeed. I love that they have included the orginal sheet covers, but a shame that they're not in color. I was happy to see that they even included "Silver Swan Rag". All in all buy it if you like classic ragtime piano and have some good piano skills. You will love it!