Elite Syncopations

This article is about the Scott Joplin rag. For the ballet of the same name, see Elite Syncopations (ballet).

"Elite Syncopations" is a 1902 ragtime piano composition by American composer Scott Joplin, originally published in 1903 by John Stark & Son.^[1][2] The cover of the original sheet music prominently features a well-dressed man and lady sitting on a treble staff, looking down upon a cherub clutching a cymbal in each hand,^[2] which reflects plainly the title of the piece. In 1974, the British Royal Ballet, under director Kenneth MacMillan, created the ballet Elite Syncopations based on tunes by Joplin and other composers of the era.

Elite Syncopations
by Scott Joplin
First edition sheet music cover.
Genre	Ragtime
Form	Rag
Composed	1902 (1902)
Published	1903 (1903)
Publisher	John Stark & Son
Audio sample
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Musical structure

The piece's musical structure is:

Intro A A B B A C C D D

It begins in F major, and modulates to B-flat major at the beginning of the C section, where it remains until the end of the piece. In addition, many parts of the piece are somewhat chromatic, especially section A.

See also

• List of compositions by Scott Joplin