Ragtime

Ragtime

The urban dictionary definition of ragtime is

A form of syncopated  (the displacement of regular accents associated with given metrical patterns, resulting in a disruption of the listener’s expectations)  music with a lively melodic line and a steady baseline that was popular from 1890-1920.

This definition that the dictionary is the truth, although it doesn’t embody the true meaning and history that the word Ragtime possesses. So here’s mine;

Ragtime

A music genre that is intricate, complicated, and difficult to describe due to its creators utilization of different musical boundaries within the genre.  Is a type of syncopated music comprised for piano, That hit its peaked popularity between 1890’s to 1919.  The name “Ragtime” derives from an individual utilizing a non conventional, simplicistic, as non syncopated  lyrics or Melodie’s and transforming the rhythm.

Which was otherwise known as “ ragging”, but eventually turned into ragtime. Deriving from multiple talented Pianists that were located in Missouri, who came together to orchestrate the creation of various fundamental ragtime compositions. Due to its growing popularity ragtime later was see in other genres such as; Heavy metal , jazz,  and even rock n roll.

Scott Joplin

Scott Joplin  or otherwise known as the “ father/ king of ragtime”.  He was a world renown black composer, was credited with creating some of the most successful rags of his period. He created hundreds of collections of short pieces in the style  and even operas. One of the most popular pieces Joplin create was a his song which was called “The Maple Leaf Rag ”(1899).  The song consists of four Melodie’s which contain four major keys that are played, in a texture that is homophonic – The base melodic line consists of support of one or more musical lines to add harmonic support.

Some other major / influential ragtime musicians were Louis Chauvin, Charles L Johnson, Thomas Turpin, and Charles Hunter. Although artists such as Scott Joplin , James Scott, and Joseph Lamb were known as the “ Big three”, due to their work being the very foundation of what we know today to be known as the ragtime style of music.  

Sources-

  • https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200035811/ 
  • https://blog.mcdaniel.edu/qlykens/2015/02/26/maple-leaf-rag-scott-joplin/
  • https://www.jazzinamerica.org/lessonplan/5/1/250 
  • https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Ragtime

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