Pine Apple Blog

Scott Joplin uses measures 77 through 84 in "Pine Apple Rage" as an effective climax to the entire piece. The chord progression of these measures is as follows: m. 77-78 is a bIV chord which leads to a I64 chord in measure 79 which moves to a IV7 chord in m 81 and into the final chords, V64 to a V7 to a I. The progression between the IV7 to the V64 is important because it signifies that Joplin is done with the chromatic progression of chords and the cadence is soon to follow. However, he does a very good job of leading the listener through measures 79 and 80 because the listener expects the cadence to happen there but Joplin extends his ending even farther than anticipated by the audience. The g natural in measure 79 stands out to the listener because it is the last significant chromatic change in the piece. Also, it comes shortly after the held g flat in measure 77, so it relaxes the listener and prepares them for the cadence. The preceding measures (69 through 76) introduce a new motif which is the high point of the piece. They bring immediate excitement to the last section because of the chromatic pull between the g flat and g natural along with the quick chromatic changes in measures 74 and 75. The change of the bass line in measures 73 through 76 create a change in movement ushering the listener into the final intense measures. Through the use of an ever changing motif and a very tense elongation of the cadence Joplin creates a remarkable ending based on the motifs earlier in the piece.