Copyright registration of Scott Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag

Background. Ragtime had become a national craze in U.S. cities by 1897, aided by Joplin's participation in the 1893 World's Fair. Joplin began publishing music in 1895, with his first published rag, Original Rags, appearing in March 1899. The Maple Leaf Rag was known in Sedalia prior to its 1899 publication, with composer Brun Campbell claiming to have seen the manuscript around 1898.

Publication and Registration. Joplin signed a contract with John Stillwell Stark on August 10, 1899, for a royalty of one cent on sales. The Maple Leaf Rag was published between August 10 and September 20, 1899, when the United States Copyright Office received two copies of the score. The copyright was officially registered on September 18, 1899.

Legacy and Influence. The Maple Leaf Rag became the model for ragtime compositions by subsequent composers and is one of the most famous ragtime pieces. It influenced composers for at least 12 years after its initial publication. Despite ragtime's decline after Joplin's death in 1917, the piece continued to be recorded by many well-known artists.