Publisher Desc.  Scott Joplin (1867-1917) was an American composer and pianist renowned for his ragtime compositions. "Maple Leaf Rag in particular achieved great fame and popularity, becoming one of ragtimes most influential pieces, and has been dubbed 'the archetypal rag'. The roots of ragtime originate from African-American communities in the late 19th century, identifiable by its syncopated, or ragged, rhythms. This is a challenging recital piece, combining scalic passages, arpeggiated phrases, and syncopated rhythms.