Scott Joplin published the "School of Ragtime & Exercises For Piano" in 1908. Ed Berlin, in his "King of Ragtime: Scott Joplin and His Era" (NY: Oxford University Press, 1994), comments succintly on Joplin's self-published primer: "This is not a composition, but an instruction manual presenting four 4-measure and two 8-measure exercises that dissect the beat to demonstrate the precise manner of playing ragtime syncopations" (p. 177).
The MIDI renditions of the exercises are mostly "dry"; that is, I did very little editing so that the listener can perceive them as closely as possible to "as written." I have also included the text Joplin wrote to accompany each exercise.
Joplin introduces the exercises as follows:
SCHOOL OF RAGTIME
BY
SCOTT JOPLIN
Composer of "Maple Leaf Rag."
REMARKS -- What is scurrilously called ragtime is an invention that is here to stay. That is now conceded by all classes of musicians. That all publications masquerading under the name of ragtime are not the genuine article will be better known when these exercises are studied. That real ragtime of the higher class is rather difficult to play is a painful truth which most pianists have discovered. Syncopations are no indication of light or trashy music, and to shy bricks at "hateful ragtime" no longer passes for musical culture. To assist the amateur players in giving the "Joplin Rags" that weird and intoxicating effect intended by the composer is the object of this work.
"School of Ragtime" Exercises
Exercise No. 1
Exercise No. 2
Exercise No. 3
Exercise No. 4
Exercise No. 5
Exercise No. 6
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