Sugar Cane
in B♭ major
Scott Joplin 1868–1917
B♭ major
Key
Slow march tempo
Tempo
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Difficulty
Our estimate Intermediate
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Themes & character
Subtitled a ragtime classic·Published 1908·Mature style·Flowing melodic strains
At a glance
- Key
- B♭ major
- Tempo / character
- Slow march tempo
About the piece
Published in 1908 and subtitled A Ragtime Classic, a description Joplin and his publishers used to press the claim that ragtime deserved to be treated as serious composed music rather than ephemeral popular entertainment.
That argument mattered to Joplin throughout his career, and his insistence on printed scores, moderate tempos and formal structure was part of the same campaign.
The composer
Scott Joplin
1868–1917
Scott Joplin was an American composer and pianist. Dubbed the "King of Ragtime", he composed more than 40 ragtime pieces, one ragtime ballet, and two operas. One of his first and most popular pieces, the "Maple Leaf Rag", became the genre's first and most influential hit, later being recognized as the quintessential rag. Joplin considered ragtime to be a form of classical music meant to be played in concert halls and largely disdained the performance of ragtime as honky tonk music most common in saloons.
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