As previously noted, Joplin hailed from a family of former salves. This meant that his style contained traits of African-American music. His mentoring from Julius Weiss introduced the European classical forms to him, and it is clear that his work is comparatively more similar to classical styles than that of African-American styles. For example, there are four melodic sections to the rag (A, B, C, D) and the form is much like that of a classical piece. Even so, the combination of both African-American and European classical forms were what led to his creation of ragtime. This piece was structured in sixteen-measure increments like most rags, as discussed earlier. “Maple Leaf Rag” contains a typical technique in ragtime in which the left hand is in direct coordination with the right hand. Specifically in this piece, the left hand alternates between playing chords and playing the bass while the right hand plays the melody and gives the life to the rag. Composed in 2/4, there is a fast tempo put in place—almost as if too fast, one of the characteristics of novelty piano. There is little improvisation by Joplin, and bridges over the measures between repetitions are smooth and consistent with the forms and keys of the
As previously noted, Joplin hailed from a family of former salves. This meant that his style contained traits of African-American music. His mentoring from Julius Weiss introduced the European classical forms to him, and it is clear that his work is comparatively more similar to classical styles than that of African-American styles. For example, there are four melodic sections to the rag (A, B, C, D) and the form is much like that of a classical piece. Even so, the combination of both African-American and European classical forms were what led to his creation of ragtime. This piece was structured in sixteen-measure increments like most rags, as discussed earlier. “Maple Leaf Rag” contains a typical technique in ragtime in which the left hand is in direct coordination with the right hand. Specifically in this piece, the left hand alternates between playing chords and playing the bass while the right hand plays the melody and gives the life to the rag. Composed in 2/4, there is a fast tempo put in place—almost as if too fast, one of the characteristics of novelty piano. There is little improvisation by Joplin, and bridges over the measures between repetitions are smooth and consistent with the forms and keys of the