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Scott Joplin was born on a farm near Linden, Texas, about thirty miles southeast of present day Texarkana His parents, Giles and Florence, were 25 and 27, respectively, and his older brother, Monroe, was 5.
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Scott Joplin's younger brother, Robert also had a successful career on stage, as a singer, actor, manager and producer on the black vaudeville circuit
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Scott Joplin's sister Osie was born. In 1903, on a visit to Osie and their mother in Little Rock Arkansas, Scott Joplin met his first wife, Freddie.
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Scott Joplin's brother will also had a brief career on the black vaudeville stage, as a song-and-dance man. Will was already living in St. Louis when Scott moved there in 1901. In 1903, Scott moved in with Will, and was joined by Arthur and Lee Marshall, and Scott Hayden. Will's wife, Sophorinia left during this time. It is thought that Sophorinia was one of the women erroneously attributed as "Belle Joplin"
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little is known about Scott Joplin's youngest brother.
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With the Texarkana Minstrels (vocal ensemble), at Ghio's Opera House, Texarkana, Tx, benefit for Jefferson Davis memorial. Scandal ensued and company disbanded
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Vocal quartet formed in 1892 and composed initially of :
Robert Joplin, Scott Joplin, Richard Denson and James Rivers.
After 1893, Robert Joplin and James Rivers were replaced by Pleasant Jackson and Grant Miner.
Quartet performed in the following cities
St. Louis, Missouri
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Omaha Nebraska
St. Paul, Minnesota
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Marshfield, Wisconsin
Medfield, Wisconsin
Duluth, Minnesota
Cleveland, Ohio
Syracuse, New York
Buffalo, New York
Boston, Massachusetts -
the quartet, composed of Robert and Scott Joplin, Richard Denson and James Rivers had "drilled in Texarkana and traveled through Tennessee" prior to arriving in St Louis in April of 1893, en route to the Chicago World's Fair.
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The quartet arrived in St Louis, en route to "Chicago to sing at the fair"
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Colloquially referred to as the "1893 Worlds Fair", the Columbian Exposition drew not only attendees but also musicians and other performers from around the United States.
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an article from Cedar Rapids Iowa stated that the "Texas Medley Quartet (colored) was en route Chicago to the Pacific Coast. The quartet consisted of Pleasant Jackson, Scott Joplin, Richard Denson, and Grant Minor.
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The quartet had been performing in Omaha in hotel lobbies since October 1
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the quartet provided "splendid vocal music in the public buildings and in office buildings having large courts" where appreciative audiences "shower[ed] silver upon its members"
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performed under the auspices of the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor. Selections included "FIsheman and Daughter" "Sheeney" "Hearts" "Chinese Song" " Down on the Farm" "God Won't Love You If You Don't Be Good" "Poor Old Slave" "Only a Picture" and "Good Night"12
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Boards with the Marshall family at 135 W Henry. Shares room with Arthur Marshall
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The quartet arrived in Duluth and would be there for several days
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The quartet performed with "delightful harmony" and were said to be on their way east
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the quartet performed for a "literary entertainment" given by the ladies of the congregation
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The quartet performed for newspaper office employees "in a very artistic manner"
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M.L. Mantell Syracuse NY
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Variety Show at Chaltham New York opera house
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resided in home owned by John Wesley, a white farmer.
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Leiter Bros, Syracuse, NY
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Probably arrived in Gainesville Texas in late December, 1895, as he is advertised in early 1896, managing a show made up of local African-American performers.
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Cake Walk consisting of "chorus singing, prize buck and wing dancing, ballads, etc etc" by local African American talent managed by Scott Joplin.
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The entertainment to be given by the colored home talent under the management of Scott Joplin will be something worth seeing. It will be a clean and first class show and all ladies and gentlemen are invited to see the show Tuesday night, March 10.
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John R Fuller, Agent Rob't Smith, Temple Texas
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Robt. Smith, Temple Tx
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Rob't Smith, Temple Texas
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While the date of Joplin's enrollement is not certain, it is probable that he enrolled in the fall of 1897
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Will and Scott Joplin, with Wesley Kirby Thomas Clark and Alder Russell performed for the Mission Social Circle in Winfield Kansas. They were billed as "mandolin and guitar artists" in route to Omaha Nebraska
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Scott Joplin was a charter member of this club, organized for "advancing...by social intercourse the....health...of its members...through friendly exchange of views and discussions...and by maintaining a library for its members". His "Maple Leaf Rag" was named after the club.
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Scott Joplin furnished the music for the "Dress Ball and Cake Walk" at the Black 400 Club, an African-American social club in Sedalia. The building the club occupied in Sedalia still exists.
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Carl Hoffman, Kansas City, MO
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John Stark and Son, Sedalia Missouri.
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A fire destroyed the John Stark and Son music store in Sedalia, as well as the family's living quarters above the store. While printing plates were not damaged, store stock was destroyed, which may account for the present-day scarcity of first editions of Maple Leaf Rag. The Stark family moved to St Louis after the fire, although the store remained in business in Sedalia for another year.
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The T Bahnsen Piano Mfg Co had its beginnings in the 1880s, as a piano retailer in St Louis. The firm incorporated in 1898, the shareholders being Timothy Bahnsen, his wife Alvena (Morgens) Bahnsen and Anna Morgens, Alvena's mother. The Morgens family was in the dry cleaning business.
Timothy Bahnsen died in 1900, and Morgens family stepped in to run the business until 1905, when the they sold the firm to Henry Detmer of Chicago. -
"Sedalia Times" announces that Joplin is working on a piece for the Augustian Club to consist of a series of dances, including a waltz, polka, rag, scottische and march, with lyrics and requiring eight couples to perform.
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originally commissioned as a series of dances, the completed "Augustan Club Waltz" consisted solely of a waltz. It was premiered at a masked ball hosted by the Augustian club in Liberty Park in the latter part of February 1900.
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Robert B Joplin appears in Census records in St Louis in 1900. He may have remained here through 1903, although this is not certain.
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Scott Joplin and Henry Jackson presented a "Ragtime Musicale", a variety show featuring local African American performers at Sedalia's "Forest Park" a private park two miles south of the city's southern edge. Among the works was "Scott Joplin's Ragtime Song And Dance Quadrille", widely regarded as a precursor to "The Ragtime Dance"
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Composed with Arthur Marshall
John Stark and Son, St. Louis, MO -
announcement of the completion and introduction of "Sunflower Slow Drag"
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Joplin met Alfred Ernst, German-born conductor of the St Louis Choral Symphony Society, who agreed to introduce Joplin's music to friends in Europe and to take on Joplin as a student. Ernst most likely was the "German music teacher" who gave Scott Joplin the copy of S. Jadasson's "Manual of Counterpoint" that remained in Lottie Joplin's possession, as Ernst had been Jadassohn's pupil at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Leipzig.
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Composed with Scott Hayden
John Stark and Son, St. Louis, MO -
"King of Ragtime Writers"
John Stark & Son, St. Louis, MO -
This work had been commissioned by Sedalia's Augustian Club in February 1900 and was originally intended to be a dance suite. Joplin completed the work in time for a performance at the club's Masque Ball in February of the same year. It was published by John Stark and Son, St. Louis, MO.
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An article about the Augustian Club's decision to purchase 25 copies of "Augustan Club Waltz" indicates that Joplin was "now in St Louis." Scott Joplin may have initially stayed with his brother, Robert B Joplin, though this is by no means certain.
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Scott Joplin, St. Louis Missouri
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Joplin's first known public performance in St Louis, performing his own music at the Grand Leader Department Store
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Published by John Stark and Son, St. Louis. Mentioned in "Cubian Belles" advertising, it was not copyrighted until December 29, 1901, sharing a common copyright date with all of Stark's 1901 publications
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Joplin roomed (and possibly boarded) with George Watts an African-American barber and his wife at 2659a Morgan Street (now Delmar) in St Louis. Watts had several other tenants in 1901, but Joplin is not listed among them.
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Lyrics by Henry Jackson
Thiebes-Stierlin Music Co., St. Louis -
Named after a speech Theodore Roosevelt delivered in 1900, this piece may initially have been self-published in conjunction with "The Easy Winners" as the two share distinctive typesetting. The date here reflects the earliest known advertisement for the piece.
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published by S SImon and Co., St Louis, Joplin's only work published with this firm.
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Composed for cornetist and bandleader P. G. Lowery (pictured on the cover), this work may well have been composed prior to Lowery's performance in Sedalia January 22, 1902. It was advertised for sale in St. Louis August 14, 1902. The copyright date, December 29 1902 is shared by all of John Stark and Son's publications that year.
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Scott Joplin moved in with his younger brother Will, and sister-in-law Sophorinia, at 2117 Lucas in St Louis. His proteges, Arthur and Lee Marshall, and Scott Hayden joined him there in 1903. (dates are approximate). Scott Joplin remained at this address until departing on tour with "A Guest of Honor in September 1903.
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This work was published by John Stark and Son and bears a 1902 date on the music, yet no copyright filing exists. The piece is dedicated to James Lacy, cornetist and bandleader with Richards and Pringle's Famous Georgian Minstrels, who performed in Woods Opera House in Sedalia Nov. 14, 1902. Given Joplin's tendency to write for performers at or near the time they performed nearby, it is reasonable to associate this date with the piece.
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performs with Will and Robert B Joplin in Robert B Joplin's show, "Cubian Belles" in St Louis at St. Louis' Germania theater
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Scott Joplin produced his "Ragtime Dance" at the Germania Theater in St.Louis
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Initially performed prior to 1900 in Sedalia as the "Rag Time Song and Dance Quadrille" and refined over several performances, this work included lyrics and instructions for performers to execute a series of ragtime dance steps. Scott Joplin performed his "famous Rag Time Dance" in St Louis' Germania Theater on Nov 25, 1902. John Stark's copyright date is consistent with all his publications in 1902.
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This work shares the same copyright date with all of John Stark and Son's 1902 publications. Although clearly published after "The Entertainer", the actual publication date is uncertain
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Co-composed with Scott Hayden, this piece may have been composed prior to Joplin's move to St Louis, as it appears that Hayden did not reunite with Scott Joplin in St. Louis until later in 1903. That the piece was NOT published in St Louis by Stark, but rather by Val Ries and Co suggests that Stark may have been offered a version of the piece and declined to publish it
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Joplin's first opera. Copyright application was sent from 2117 Lucas, the home of his younger brother Will and Will's wife Sophorinia.
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Scott Hayden signed with the "Scott Joplin Drama Co" in St Louis. for the eventual presentation of Joplin's opera, "A Guest of Honor"
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"Respectfully Dedicated to the 'Pawnee Club', St Louis, MO", this piece was most likely commissioned by the white men's club to which it is dedicated. It was published by Val Ries and Co.
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Scheduled for its premier performance in Springfield Illinois, the company was apparently left stranded after the manager, Frank W Meiser, absconded with the funds, leaving Joplin unable to pay for either the theater or the performer's lodging. As a result the company's scores, sets and other effects were impounded and are now lost
Following this, Joplin joined the company of another touring show, the "Honolulu Coon" company, which was similarly stranded a short time later. -
A song version of "Maple Leaf Rag", with words by a member of Stark's staff, Sydney Brown. This is the first of at least three "song" versions of Maple Leaf Rag....Jule Stein provided lyrics in the 1940s, and another set of lyrics appeared in the 1970s. Stark advertised the piece as early as September 26,1903 but did not file for copyright until Aug. 22, 1904
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Louise Armstrong Bristol, a poet, most likely created both the text and melody, with Joplin creating the piano accompaniment arrangement. Published by Success Music Co in Chicago
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published in Chicago by Victor Kremer and Co.
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Scott Joplin's visit to his mother and sister in Little Rock, Arkansas would result in Joplin's marriage a few months later
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The Cascades may have been completed as early as March 15, 1904. Named after a central feature at the 1904 World's Fair, it is dedicated to "Kimball and Donovan, Banjoists", who appeared in St. Louis during this time. Joplin's works dedicated to musicians usually coincide with their local appearance. Published by John Stark and Son, St Louis on August 22, 1904
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Joplin dedicated this work to "Miss Freddie Alexander of Little Rock Arkansas". It was mentioned in Sedalia Newspapers on April 2, 1904, but not copyrighted by his publisher, John Stark and Son, in St Louis, until August 22 of that year
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Scott Joplin married Freddie Alexander at her parents home in Little Rock Arkansas. He had met her while visiting his mother and sister. Her sister's husband signed as a witness on Joplin's marriage record
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based on newspaper accounts, Scott Joplin returned to Sedalia with his wife Freddie on or around this date. The couple stayed with Solomon Dixon, one of Sedalia's eldest and most respected African-American residents. Freddie had already contracted pneumonia by this time.
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published in Sedalia by A.W. Perry & Sons Music Co, the piece's copyright falls on or about the day Joplin and Freddie arrived in Sedalia. Given the coincidental date, the title and the cover art, it is clear who "The Favorite" was.
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Published by Wll Rossiter and Co, Chicago. Joplin probably sold the work to Rossiter before departing Chicago, around December of 1903.
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Scott Joplin's wife, Freddie died of pneumonia in Sedalia.
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The first of three pieces Joplin published with the T Bahnsen Piano Mfg Co in St. Louis, his first work published after the death of his wife. Dedicated to "Mr and Mrs Dan Davenport - St Louis Mo." Little is known of the Davenports and their relationship with Scott Joplin
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Dedicated to pioneer ragtime composer Tom Turpin, whose Rosebud Bar in St Louis served as a focal point for black musicians, this piece was published by John Stark and Son in St Louis, and the music bears a 1905 date, although no copyright record exists. It may have been published as early as June of that year.
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Scott Joplin performed in Decatur, Illinois, promoting "Bethena Concert Waltz", most likely while en route to Chicago
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Published by "Bahnsen Music Co". This imprint, instead of "T Bahnsen Piano Mfg Co" may indicate a desire of Timothy Bahnsen's heirs to spin off their new music publishing business.
According to the Morgens family, the piece was written for the nephew of Alvina Morgens,whose father was helping run the firm. -
Published by Bahnsen Music Co and composed for the African-American vauvdeville team pictured on the cover. The lyrics to this ragtime song were by Henry Jackson, with whom Joplin had worked in Sedalia.
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Joplin took an apartment at 2840 Armor, in the midst of Chicago's black theater district.
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Published by American Music Syndicate in St Louis
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Music by Mac Darden, words by H Carroll Taylor, arranged by Scott Joplin, published by Foster-Calhoun, Indianapolis, Indiana. No copyright record exists.
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Published in Chicago by Will Rossiter, this is the first piece in which Joplin includes a specific metronome marking.
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Scott Joplin performed in Decatur Illinois, promoting his own works including "Binks Waltz," most likely in route from Chicago, where he had spent the previous year, on his way back to St Louis.
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Joplin moved into an apartment at 2221 Market and remained there until 1807
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Published by John Stark & Son in St. Louis
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a shorter-standard-rag-length version of Joplin's earlier work
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Published by John Stark & Son, St Louis
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Joplin is described in an interview in June 1907 of having been at work for "a considerable time" on a new ragtime opera. This would eventually become "Treemonisha"
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Humorous song by St Louis journalist Harry LaMertha, arranged by Scott Joplin. LaMertha had befriended Joplin and persuaded him to provide the arrangement. Published by University Music Publishing Co.
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Joplin visited relatives in Texarkana (most likely his elder brother Monroe's family) In the summer, Joplin visited Arthur Marshall in Chicago, prior to moving to New York
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Music by Scott Joplin words by Owen Spendthrift, published in St Louis by Owen Spendthrift
Owen Spendthrift was a pseudonym for Frederick Francis Barry, a Socialist political leader active in St Louis. Barry sold this work and two others entirely of his own, as fundraisers for the Socialist party. -
Scott Joplin briefly visited Arthur Marshall at his home in Chicago, probably around the middle of July, before departing for New York City. He would remain there, with few exceptions, for the rest of his life.
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Alfred Ernst's contract with the St Louis Choral Symphony Society was not renewed for the 1907 season, and thus his "retirement" was announced in the press. Ernst was in Germany at the time of the announcement. As Joplin quite likely learned of this prior to its official announcement, and this may have influenced his decision to leave St. Louis.
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Published by Jos W Stern & Co, New York
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published by Jos. W Stern & Co. New York
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Daly Music Publisher, Boston
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Joplin collaborated on this with Louis Chauvin, a young St Louis musician widely regarded as the best ragtime player in St Louis. Chauvin had moved to Chicago and it is, most likely while both men lived there that the two composed the piece. Joplin published the work with John Stark & Son in St Louis
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Published in New York, by Stark Music Printing & Publishing Co. New York and St Louis. This was the last new work Joplin would publish with Stark.
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Published by Seminary Music Co. in New York
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Published by Seminary Music Co, New York
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a ragtime method book, self-published by Scott Joplin in New York. Some speculate, based on the language of the text and the sparse nature of the lessons, that this work was begun as a joint project with Alfred Ernst, and published by Joplin after Ernst could no longer participate.
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Published by Seminary Music Co. New York
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published by Seminary Music Co. New York. The first strain is a re-treatment of an earlier work by another composer, but Joplin reworks and expands it into an elegant and dramatic ragtime tango.
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Published by Seminary Music Co New York
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Published by Seminary Music Co
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The Colored Vaudeville Benevolent Association formed "to promote the best interests of the theatrical profession engaged in vaudeville, and that a higher standard artistically, morally and financially may be reached" Joplin would become involved with this organization soon after its founding.
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Published by Seminary Music Co., New York
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Published by Seminary Music Co, New York "Respectfully dedicated to the CVBA"
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Published by Seminary Music Co, New York
Words by Joe Snyder -
Published by Joseph W Stern & Co. New York. Mentioned in the Indianapolis "Freeman" Oct. 16, 1909
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Joplin performed at a CVBA event, and had served on the organization's Arrangements committee overseeing the event.
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Scott Joplin self-published this his second opera, most likely at his own expense.
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Arrangements were made for a production in Atlantic City that failed to materialize. Joplin presented an abridge version of the show with a handful of singers and himself at piano.
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on the advice of other musicians, Joplin revised his opera
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Published by Jos. W. Stern & Co. New York
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Joplin performed in Arkansas City Kansas.
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Joplin staged an excerpt, Treemonisha's finale, in Bayonne New Jersey
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Joplin self-published this extract from his opera around the time he presented it in Bayonne NJ
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Joplin announced arrangements with theater owner Benjamin Nibur to produce Treemonisha in Harlem "in the early fall". For whatever reason the production failed to take place
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formed with Lottie Stokes
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Scott Joplin married Lottie Stokes at Salem Baptist Church in Jersey City, NJ,The couple were married by the Rev. A. Mark Harris, D.D.
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Published by the Scott Joplin Music Publishing Co.
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Issued by QRS Music Rolls, and an identical copy by National Music Rolls on their Master Record label. A copy of the roll surfaced in 1970 and a playable transcription by Richard Zimmerman and Donna McCluer was copyrighted in 1971. A different transcription by Max Keenlyside appeared in 2013
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published by Scott Joplin Music Publishing Co. New York
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The Connorized Music Co issued six titles "played by Scott Joplin" over three months in 1916
Maple Leaf Rag
Weeping Willow Rag
Something Doing
Magnetic Rag
Pleasant Moments
Old Miss Rag (W.C. Handy) -
a newspaper article mentioned Joplin was at work on the piece, which was never published and is now considered lost
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a "musical comedy drama", mentioned in the press but now considered lost.
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In an article in the Indianapolis Freeman indicated that Joplin was convalescing from serious illness.
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Joplin was hospitalized, showing acute tertiary syphilis
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Joplin was transferred to the Manhattan State Mental Hospital on Ward's Island
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Scott Joplin was baptized by an Episcopal chaplain serving at the Manhattan State Mental Hospital, the Rev. F.W. White. Joplin's sponsor was Elizabeth Leonard, about whom nothing is known
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Joplin died of tertiary syphilis around 9pm
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the funeral was held at Granville Paris' funeral parlor, 116 W. 131st street. Internment was at St Michael's cemetary, a burial ground administered by St Michael's Episcopal church.
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Stark Music Co, St Louis. Joplin probably sold the piece to Stark around 1907.
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In the years after her husband's death, Lottie Joplin diligently renewed her husband's copyrights as they became available for renewal, often dealing with major publishers to insure publication. She was equally diligent about insuring proper royalty payments for use the use of Joplin's works.
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Newspapers reported that songwriter Chris Smith had arranged for Harold Dixon Music Co. to produce Joplin's opera, and that Lottie had been paid $5,000.00 in advance for the rights.
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Following Joplin's death, and the advent of Jazz, ragtime underwent a hiatus, before jazz historians in the 1940s began to examine the sources and origins of Jazz in a series of articles published between 1942 and 1949. The first of these articles, published by Charles Edward Smith in "The Jazz Record Book" established Scott Joplin, Tom Turpin and Louis Chauvin as ragtime's most exemplary contributors. Further articles, by Ernest Bornemann, Russ Cassidy, Brun Campbell and others followed.
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Rudy Blesh and Harriet Janis' book codified and amalgamated ideas form articles published in the previous decade, and, coupled with interviews with surviving musicians, publishers and personalities, established a narrative of both the life of Scott Joplin and the rise of ragtime music that would be spectacularly influential for future generations
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