史考特·喬普林
史考特·喬普林（約1868年—1917年4月1日）是美國作曲家和鋼琴家，被廣泛譽為**「散拍樂之王」**。他是推廣散拍樂（Ragtime）的關鍵人物。散拍樂是一種獨特的美國音樂流派，其特色在於切分音節奏，融合了非洲裔美國音樂傳統與行進曲、華爾滋等歐洲形式。
喬普林出生於德克薩斯州特克薩卡納的一個音樂世家，從小就展現出音樂天賦。他自學鋼琴，並從一位德裔音樂老師朱利葉斯·魏斯那裡接受了一些正規指導，魏斯引導他接觸了古典音樂和歌劇。青少年時期，喬普林作為一名流動音樂家在美國南方各地旅行，在舞廳和沙龍裡表演。
1894年，他移居密蘇里州塞達利亞後，事業才真正起飛。在那裡，他磨練了自己的技藝，並開始出版作品。1899年，他的代表作**《楓葉散拍》（Maple Leaf Rag）**的出版為他帶來了重大突破，這首曲子迅速走紅，成為首批銷量超過百萬份樂譜的器樂作品之一。這次成功為他帶來了全國性的聲譽和一定的經濟穩定，使他能投入更多時間作曲和教學。
喬普林將散拍樂視為一種嚴肅的古典音樂形式，應該精確演奏，而不是以快速、喧鬧的「酒吧風格」演奏。他甚至出版了一本名為《散拍樂學校》（The School of Ragtime，1908年）的論文，指導鋼琴家正確演奏他的作品。他先後移居聖路易斯和紐約市，始終渴望將散拍樂提升為一種更受尊重的藝術形式。他創作了兩部歌劇，其中一部《榮譽貴賓》（A Guest of Honor）已失傳，另一部《崔蒙尼莎》（Treemonisha）則是一部重要的作品，它融合了散拍樂與更古典的歌劇元素，並探討了教育和種族提升的主題。不幸的是，《崔蒙尼莎》在他生前未能完全上演，這對他造成了深深的影響。
喬普林因神經性梅毒導致健康狀況惡化，於1917年去世。他去世後，他的音樂在幾十年內逐漸淡出公眾視野。然而，1970年代的一次重大復興，尤其是在1973年電影《刺激》（The Sting）中使用了《藝人》（The Entertainer）（該片獲得奧斯卡最佳電影配樂獎）後，他的音樂重新受到關注。1976年，他因對美國音樂的貢獻而被追授普立茲獎。如今，史考特·喬普林被公認為美國最重要的作曲家之一，他的創新作品為爵士樂和搖擺樂的發展奠定了基礎。
以下是史考特·喬普林十首經常被提及的音樂作品：
《楓葉散拍》（Maple Leaf Rag） (1899) - 他最著名和最具影響力的作品，被認為是典型的散拍樂。
《藝人》（The Entertainer） (1902) - 因電影《刺激》的運用而廣受歡迎。
《慰藉：墨西哥小夜曲》（Solace: A Mexican Serenade） (1909) - 一首更抒情、憂鬱的作品，展現了他超越典型散拍樂的多樣性。
《精英切分音》（Elite Syncopations） (1902) - 一首活潑而複雜的散拍樂。
《鳳梨散拍》（Pine Apple Rag） (1908) - 以其歡快活潑的節奏而聞名。
《輕鬆贏家》（The Easy Winners） (1901) - 一首流行且引人入勝的散拍樂。
《劍蘭散拍》（Gladiolus Rag） (1907) - 在結構和品質上常被拿來與《楓葉散拍》比較。
《貝塞納：音樂會華爾滋》（Bethena: A Concert Waltz） (1905) - 一首優美的華爾滋，展示了他將散拍樂元素與其他形式融合的能力。
《原創散拍》（Original Rags） (1899) - 他最早出版的散拍樂之一。
《散拍舞》（Ragtime Dance） (1902) - 最初構想為散拍芭蕾舞曲。
Scott Joplin (c. 1868 – April 1, 1917) was an American composer and pianist, widely known as the "King of Ragtime." He was a pivotal figure in popularizing ragtime music, a uniquely American genre characterized by its syncopated rhythms, combining African American musical traditions with European forms like marches and waltzes.
Born into a musical family in Texarkana, Texas, Joplin displayed musical talent from an early age. He taught himself piano and received some formal instruction from a German-born music teacher, Julius Weiss, who exposed him to classical music and opera. As a teenager, Joplin traveled the American South as an itinerant musician, performing in dance halls and saloons.
His career truly took off after he moved to Sedalia, Missouri, in 1894. There, he refined his craft and began publishing his compositions. His most significant breakthrough came in 1899 with the publication of the "Maple Leaf Rag," which became an instant sensation and one of the first instrumental pieces to sell over a million copies of sheet music. This success brought him national fame and a measure of financial stability, allowing him to dedicate more time to composing and teaching.
Joplin viewed ragtime as a serious form of classical music, intended to be performed with precision and not at a fast, "honky-tonk" tempo. He even published a treatise, "The School of Ragtime" (1908), to guide pianists in playing his works correctly. He moved to St. Louis and later New York City, always aspiring to elevate ragtime to a more respected artistic form. He composed two operas, A Guest of Honor (now lost) and Treemonisha, a significant work that combined ragtime with more classical operatic elements and addressed themes of education and racial uplift. Unfortunately, Treemonisha was not fully produced during his lifetime, a disappointment that deeply affected him.
Joplin's health declined due to neurosyphilis, and he passed away in 1917. After his death, his music faded from public consciousness for several decades. However, a major revival in the 1970s, spurred by the use of "The Entertainer" in the 1973 film The Sting (which won an Oscar for Best Film Score), brought his music back into the spotlight. In 1976, he was posthumously awarded a Pulitzer Prize for his contributions to American music. Today, Scott Joplin is recognized as one of America's most important composers, whose innovative work laid foundational elements for the development of jazz and swing.
Here are 10 of Scott Joplin's often mentioned musical compositions:
"Maple Leaf Rag" (1899) - His most famous and influential piece, considered the quintessential rag.
"The Entertainer" (1902) - Gained immense popularity after its use in the film The Sting.
"Solace: A Mexican Serenade" (1909) - A more lyrical and melancholic piece, showcasing his versatility beyond typical ragtime.
"Elite Syncopations" (1902) - A lively and intricate rag.
"Pine Apple Rag" (1908) - Known for its cheerful and lively pace.
"The Easy Winners" (1901) - A popular and engaging rag.
"Gladiolus Rag" (1907) - Often compared to "Maple Leaf Rag" in its structure and quality.
"Bethena: A Concert Waltz" (1905) - A beautiful waltz that demonstrates his ability to blend ragtime elements with other forms.
"Original Rags" (1899) - One of his earliest published rags.
"Ragtime Dance" (1902) - Originally conceived as a ragtime ballet.