- Joplin composed Bethena in 1905, and published the piece on March 6 of that year. It was the first piece he published after the death of his second wife Freddie.1 They had married in June 1904, and Freddie died just a few months later, in September of 1904.2
- Joplin dedicated this waltz to Mr. and Mrs. Dan E. Davenport of St. Louis, MO. Joplin usually dedicated his pieces to people who could support his career financially, but this does not seem to be the case with this dedication. Joplin’s biographer Edward A. Berlin has speculated that the Davenports may have been friends who offered Joplin emotional support after the sudden loss of his wife.3
- The origin of the waltz’s title, “Bethena,” is unknown. Adding to the mystery, a photograph of an unidentified woman adorns the cover of the first edition. Edward Berlin has speculated that this may be a photo of Freddie Joplin (he admits this suggestion is “highly speculative,” but it is an intriguing theory).4
Sources
- Edward A. Berlin, King of Ragtime: Scott Joplin and His Era (New York: Oxford University Press, 1994), 146.
- Edward A. Berlin, “Joplin, Scott,” Grove Music Online (October 16, 2013), accessed April 7, 2022, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-1002253061.
- Berlin, King of Ragtime: Scott Joplin and His Era, 146.
- Ibid., 147.
Cut IDs
18195