美国名人 作曲家 斯科特·乔普林.docx

美国名人作曲家斯科特乔普林ScottJoplin:TheKingofRagtimeMusicplaystopmutemaxvolume00:00-15:48repeatByCatyWeaver2006-5-27(MUSIC)VOICEONE:mSteveEmber.VOICETWO:AndmBarbaraKleinwithPeopleinAmericainVOASpecialEnglish.TodaywetellaboutthelifeandworkofoneofAmerica'sgreatestmusicwriters:ScottJoplinztheKingofRagtime.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:Thatsongiscalled"MapleLeafRag."ScottJoplinwroteitmorethanonehundredyearsago.ThesongchangedJoplin'slife.Itwasverypopular.Thecomposerearnedagoodlivingfromthesalesofthesheetmusic.Healsobecamefamous.But,eventoday,muchaboutScottJoplinremainsamystery.Thereisconflictinginformationaboutthemostbasicfacts,likewhenandwherehewasborn.OfficialpopulationdocumentssuggestScottJoplinwasbornineighteensixty-sevenandeighteensixty-eight.HewasborninTexas,probablyneartheborderwithArkansas.TheJoplinsmovedtoTexarkana,Texassometimeaftereighteenseventy-fiveandScottgrewupthere.(MUSIC)VOICETWO:ScottwasthesecondofsevenchildrenborntoGilesandFlorenceJoplin.Hisfatherwasafreedslavewhoworkedontherailroad.Hismothercleanedpeople'shomes.ThewholeJoplinfamilywasmusical.Scott'sfatherplayedtheviolin.Hismotherplayedthebanjo.AndalltheJoplinsenjoyedsingingtogetherathome.Scottlearnedtoplayseveralmusicalinstruments.ButFlorenceJoplinwantedhersontolearnhowtoplaythepiano.WhenScottwasaboutsevenyearsoldhebegantakingpianolessonswithamusicteacherathisschool.TheJoplinswerepoor,soScott'smotherpaidfortheweeklylessonswithfood.FlorenceJoplinalsogotpermissionforhersontouseapianoinoneofthehousesshecleanedinTexarkana.FlorenceandGilesJoplinseparatedbeforeScottbecameateenager.SomeexpertsthinkScottblamedhimselfforthebreak-up.ManyexpertsalsothinkScottJoplin'sopera"Treemonisha"includedincidentsofhislifewithhismotherafterGilesJoplinleft.Forexample,thecharacter"Treemonisha"receivesmusiclessonspaidforbyhermotherwhocleanspeople'shouses.Listentothisariafromtheopera.CarmenBalthropisTreemonisha.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:ScottJoplin'searlypianolessonsdidnotincluderagtime.Thatkindofmusicwasplayedindanceanddrinkingplacesandwasnotconsideredacceptable.Scottfirststudiedclassicalmusicwithseveralteachers.TheyincludedaGermanimmigrantnamedJuliusWeisswhoprobablyhadthestrongestinfluenceontheboy.VOICETWO:ScottleftTexaswhenhewasateenager.Heworkedasapianoplayerandgavelessonsintheguitarandmandolin.InhistwentieshesettledinSedalia,Missouri.HeformedagroupcalledtheTexasMedleyQuartet.Thegroupsometimestraveledgreatdistancestoperform.ScottJoplinbeganhismusic-writingcareerinSedalia.Heattendedcollegeclassestolearntobecomeacomposer.JoplinalsogotapermanentjobinSedaliaplayingthepianoinanewnightclub.Sedalia'smostimportantcitizensvisitedtheMapleLeafClub.ThejobpermittedJoplintimetowriteandplayhisownwork.SomethingevenmoreimportanthappenedtoJoplininSedalia.HemetJohnStark,theownerofalocalmusicstore.Ineightyninety-nine,Starkpublishedthesong"MapleLeafRag."ItwasnotJoplin'sfirstpublishedmusic.Butitwasthehewasmostproudof.StarkofferedtopayJoplinapercentageofeachsaleof"MapleLeafRag"sheetmusic.Thiswasanextremelyunusualbusinessagreementforawhitepublisherandblackcomposeratthattime.Usually,whitepublisherspaidonlyasmallamountofmoneyforfullownershipofmusicwrittenbyAfrican-Americans.TheagreementwasverygoodforbothScottJoplinandJohnStark.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:Ragtimemusicisdancemusic.Itcombinesasolid,oftenlively,beatwithalooser;complexmelody.MostexpertsagreethatthetraditionalmusicanddanceofAmericanslavesplayedabigpartinthedevelopmentofragtime.Hereisaperfectexample.ScottJoplinandJohnStarkpublished"ABreezeFromAlabama"innineteen-oh-two.Itismusicforadancecalledthetwo-step.(MUSIC)VOICETWO:JohnStarkdecidedthatScottJoplinwasgoingtobecometoopopulartostayinthesmalltownofSedalia.HedecidedtomovehismusicbusinesstothebigcityofSaintLouiszMissouri.JoplinmovedtoSaintLouiswithawomannamedBelleHayden.Latertheyweremarried.ButJoplinwasnotassuccessfulinloveashewasinmusic.HeandBelleseparatedinnineteen-oh-two.TwoyearslaterJoplinmarriedagain.Buthiswife,FreddieAlexander;diedjustthreemonthslater.TheScottJoplinOrganizationinSedaliazMissourisaysJoplinwrotethisrag,"TheChrysanthemum/'forhissecondwife.(MUSIC)Afterhiswife'sdeath,innineteen-oh-five,Joplinwroteaconcertwaltzcalled"Bethena."Thepiecehasasadsoundtoit,quiteunlikeJoplin'searlierwork.YoumightrecognizeitasthethememusicfortheSpecialEnglishprogramWordsandTheirStories.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:Joplinlivedinmanyplacesintheyearsthatfollowed.Healsoworkedonhisopera,"Treemonisha."HehadhopedhislongtimebusinesspartnerJohnStarkwouldpublishit,butherefused.Starkdidnotthinkaragtimeoperawouldsell.Afternineteen-oh-sevenJoplinlivedmostlyinNewYorkCity.HeandhisnewwifeLottietriedformanyyearstoget"Treemonisha"produced.ButitsopeningnightdidnotcomeuntilmorethanfiftyyearsafterJoplin'sdeath.Byaboutnineteenfifteen,ScottJoplinbegansufferingbadlyfromsyphilis.Thediseaserobbedhimofhisabilitytoplaypiano.Italsodestroyedhisabilitytowritemusic.HediedinNewYorkCityinnineteen-seventeen.ScottJoplinlefttheworldsixtymusicalworks.Theseincludemanypianoragsthatarestillplayedtoday.(MUSIC)VOICETWO:ThisprogramwaswrittenandproducedbyCatyWeaver.mBarbaraKlein.VOICEONE:AndmSteveEmber.JoinusagainnextweekforPeopleinAmericainVOASpecialEnglish.WeleaveyounowwithoneofScottJoplin'sprettiestrags,"HeliotropeBouquet."