Ragtime

Ragtime is a genre of musical composition for the piano, generally in duple meter and containing a highly syncopated treble lead over a rhythmically steady bass. The composition is usually composed of 3 or 4 contrasting sections with each one being 16 or 32 measures. The genre was most popular between 1896-1920 and is commonly associated with the roaring Twenties even thought it has seem multiple revivals.Dominated by the common people, the genre was known for its pianos, syncopation, upbeat tempo, and sheet music. The genre greatly increased piano sales, during that time. Many associated the genre with the Cakewalk dance, where slaves dressed in their best clothes to mock their slave masters. Surprisingly, white people found this to be entertainment and often rewarded the best imitation with a cake. An interesting fact about ragtime is that the right hand is more syncopated, being it plays the swag music, compared tp the left that helps keep the beat steady. 

 
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