Scott Joplin & George Gershwin

Abstract: A 5 page research paper that contrasts and compares composers Scott Joplin (1867-1917) and George Gershwin (1898-1937), who were born a generation apart, but their music is intimately connected, in that jazz arose out of the legacy of ragtime, which was highly influenced by Joplin and jazz was the natural medium for the music of Gershwin. The two composers also bear other similarities. Each man had ambitions of writing art music, that is, music that would be taken seriously by music critics. Both Joplin and Gershwin enjoyed fame within their lifetimes, and their music has proven to be highly influential on subsequent composers. However, both men had difficulty having their classical works receive the due notice that these works deserved because of their association with the realm of popular music. However, ironically, both men are remembered today for the ways in which they advanced the art of popular music, taking it into new realms. Bibliography lists 7 sources.

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Catagory: Film & Television

Subcatagory: Music, Film, Television, Theater & Photography

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