Treemonisha

Dubbed the "King of Ragtime" by his music publisher, Scott Joplin (1868 1917) was a formally educated musician whose popular piano rags inspired him to go on to composition on a larger, far more developed scale and conception. His second opera,Treemonisha, an example of his most serious work, was published in 1911 at his own expense.The story of a confident young woman whose life, in many respects, paralleled Joplins, the work was a blueprint for social, racial, and sexual equality. Theopera became Joplins obsession, taking precedence over his other creative efforts while tragically affecting his health and fortune. In describing its energetic rhythms and melodies, The New York Times praised Treemonisha as gently imbued withragtime, aspiring "to genuine operatic richness."The vocal score of this pioneering opera appears here in a handsome and inexpensive edition, sure to be valued by soloists, rehearsal pianists, and anyone who delights in the music of this importantAfrican-American composer.Reprint of the Scott Joplin, New York, 1911 edition.