Maple Leaf Rag Day 2023

Happy Maple Leaf Rag Day everyone!

As a tribute to Scott Joplin’s unhonored request to have it played at his funeral on 1 April 1917, today is the day to play the Maple Leaf Rag. Play it any way you can: crank it up on a music player, or on YouTube, or if you’re a musician, perform it (or learn it!) on your instrument of choice. There are many renditions of the M.L.R. provided in past posts here at KingOfRagtime.com, but new versions are always springing up — even 124  years after the M.L.R. was published in 1899!

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On the historical significance of the Scott Joplin’s music: “Many people don’t realize just how this artist’s work still influences the social and musical landscapes of America a century after his death,” explains the Polyphonic channel in the video below which takes a closer look at “The Incredible Story of America’s First Pop Star.“

Here’s a well-executed, traditional performance of the Maple Leaf Rag by Richard Dowling performed in his “Complete Piano Works of Scott Joplin” released 1 April 2017 — the 100th anniversary of SJ’s passing.

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