(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 18671917) was one of the most prominent and admired ragtime composers of the period (ca.
But overall, this look at the life and early work of Joplin is a winner. The length is best for older elementary-age bookworms – JJ was definitely beginning to get antsy by the end. A sequence at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair is particularly gorgeous, and captures the dreamy whirlwind of musical inspiration. Music can be difficult to convey in book form, but the mixture of Costanza’s dynamic text, strategic use of emphasis and onomatopoeia, and dramatic, colorful illustrations creates a title that looks and reads like jazz. Describing ragtime – the genre Joplin played a major part in bringing to popularity – as a patchwork, Constanza cleverly weaves the composer’s early influences into his life story, from the work songs and spirituals of his youth, to the Germanic songs his father learned under slavery, to the mainstream instrumentals he learned as a student. 2 During his brief career, he wrote over 100 original ragtime pieces. 1 Joplin is also known as the 'King of Ragtime' because of the fame achieved for his ragtime compositions, music that was born out of the African-American community. This picture book biography does a wonderful job of introducing Joplin, the times he lived in, and the formation of his unique musical style. Novem April 1, 1917) was an American composer and pianist. He was the son of a man who was once enslaved.
Transposing his unique style onto paper for the first time, he had a few duds before composing his most famous song, one that would go on to transform popular music: “Maple Leaf Rag”. Scott Joplin was a child who loved to listen to the sounds around him rather than using his own voice. Eventually, Scott settled in Missouri, attending college, teaching piano, and playing at a local club called the Maple Leaf. Scott left home to pursue his music, playing in saloons, honky-tonks, and cafés, where his unique original songs earned the praise of patrons. Even at this early age, Joplin demonstrated his extraordinary talent for music. He moved with his family to Texarkana at the age of about seven. While Scott’s father encouraged his son to work for the railroads – one of the few industries that offered steady work for black men at the time – Scott’s mother encouraged his creative talents, trading cleaning services with a piano teacher for her son’s lessons. Scott Joplin, the 'King of Ragtime' music, was born near Linden, Texas on November 24, 1868. His entire family had a passion for music, and every member played an instrument. Like Foster, Joplin was born into a musically talented middle class family. Joplin was born in Missouri in 1868, just four years after Stephen Foster’s death. Hello, friends! Our book today was King of Ragtime: The Story of Scott Joplin by Stephen Costanza, a look into the early life and career of the American composer and pianist.īorn into a labor-class black family in the very recently emancipated state of Texas, Scott took an early interest in music and sound. The refinement and popularization of ragtime was the result of the efforts of America’s first great African-American composer, Scott Joplin.
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