Maple Leaf Rag is one of the most famous pieces done during the ragtime era in music. Innovated by the sensational Scott Joplin, it was redone by Jelly Roll Morton to showcase a more modern musical jazz approach. This paper intends to compare and contrast the two versions of the song.
Scott Joplin’s version has a simple contour with high points at very few points of the song, which soon thereafter returned to the original base. Moreover, notes were short and not held much, bringing about a conjunct melodic character to the composition. Phrasing in the song was non-existent because of the lack of words. Therefore, the repetitive pattern in the song is seen as the main motive behind it. The song maintains a light tone with a single layer, which is the piano. The performer increased no volume throughout the entire presentation, resulting in the lack of a swing in the song. This way, smooth articulation to the note playing was given with the same dynamic for the whole song. Morton’s version was quite similar in respect to the contour and melodic character. However, the pulse in this version was grouped into triples incorporated by a fast tempo and a high swing coupled with uneven pauses. Some notes are payed smoothly, while others seem almost attacked.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Comparatively speaking, the two songs were similar in melody, though Morton’s version was swung. Both versions lacked in phrasing or text and they had singular layering with fast tempos and triple grouping pulses. However, glaring differences are present in the swing and articulation. In Morton’s version, for example, there was more swing in some parts and others remained normal, whereas Joplin maintained a smoothness throughout his playing, giving his version a classical feel. This was not the case with Morton’s version.
References
Temperley, D. (2004). Communicative pressure and the evolution of musical styles. Music Perception: An Interdisciplinary Journal , 21 (3), 313-337.
