4.4 Ragtime and early jazz

Ragtime and early jazz emerged as groundbreaking American musical forms in the late 19th century. Blending African American rhythms with European harmonies, these styles revolutionized popular music, introducing syncopation and improvisation to a wider audience.

Scott Joplin, the "King of Ragtime," pioneered the genre with iconic compositions like "Maple Leaf Rag." As ragtime evolved, it laid the foundation for jazz, influencing future generations of musicians and shaping the course of American music history.

Ragtime Music: Key Elements and Characteristics

Rhythmic and Structural Features

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• Syncopated rhythms define ragtime creating a "ragged" feel with accents on off-beats and unexpected emphases
• Compositions structured in distinct sections (strains) often following AABBACCDD format with 16-bar sections
• Moderately fast tempo maintains lively and danceable pace throughout
• Left hand in ragtime piano plays steady, march-like bass line and chords
• Right hand performs syncopated melodies and improvised figurations

Harmonic and Melodic Elements

• Harmonic structure rooted in European classical traditions with functional harmony and clear chord progressions
• Melodies incorporate blues notes and pentatonic scales reflecting African American musical influences
• Primarily associated with piano though adaptations for other instruments (banjo, guitar) became popular

Examples and Variations

• "Maple Leaf Rag" by Scott Joplin exemplifies classic ragtime structure and syncopation
• "The Entertainer" showcases ragtime's catchy melodies and danceable rhythms
• "Kitten on the Keys" by Zez Confrey demonstrates more advanced harmonic techniques in novelty ragtime

Ragtime's Roots in African American Music

Precursor Musical Forms

• Evolved from African American folk music traditions (work songs, spirituals, ring shouts)
• "Cakewalk" dance music of late 19th century directly influenced ragtime's rhythmic patterns
• Minstrel show music contributed syncopation and call-and-response patterns despite problematic racial aspects
• Blues developed concurrently sharing musical elements and influencing ragtime's melodic and harmonic structures

Instrumental and Performance Influences

• African American banjo playing techniques adapted to piano contributing to ragtime's distinctive sound
• Syncopated "stroke style" of banjo playing translated to piano ragtime figurations
• Marches and popular music of late 19th century provided structural frameworks for ragtime composers
• Availability of pianos in African American communities (brothels, bars) facilitated experimentation and development

Cultural Context

• Emerged during Reconstruction era reflecting complex racial dynamics and cultural shifts
• Gained popularity during "Gay Nineties" coinciding with rise of vaudeville and popular entertainment
• Flourished in urban centers with vibrant African American communities (St. Louis, New Orleans, New York City)

Scott Joplin: A Ragtime Pioneer

Major Compositions and Innovations

• Composed seminal works "Maple Leaf Rag" and "The Entertainer" establishing ragtime as sophisticated musical form
• Opera "Treemonisha" attempted to elevate ragtime to classical music level and address social issues facing African Americans
• Published "School of Ragtime" instructional series codifying ragtime techniques and performance practices

Influence and Legacy

• Known as "King of Ragtime" for his refined compositional style and technical innovations
• Established ragtime as America's first indigenous musical art form
• Influenced future developments in jazz and popular music through harmonic and rhythmic innovations

Contemporaries and Collaborators

• James Scott composed technically challenging rags ("Frog Legs Rag") contributing to genre's complexity
• Joseph Lamb created pieces ("Top Liner Rag") blending ragtime with European-influenced harmonies
• Collaborated with publisher John Stark to promote and distribute ragtime compositions

Ragtime and the Birth of Jazz

Musical Transition

• Emphasis on syncopation and improvisation laid groundwork for jazz's rhythmic complexity and spontaneity
• Shift from composed, notated music to more improvised performances with ragtime as bridge
• Early jazz musicians often began careers playing ragtime adapting techniques to new ensemble formats

Structural and Harmonic Influences

• Harmonic structures of ragtime informed chord progressions in early jazz particularly in stride piano development
• Jelly Roll Morton's fusion of ragtime elements with blues and improvisation in "jass" style exemplified evolution to early jazz
• Rhythmic feel influenced early jazz drumming especially syncopated patterns on snare and bass drums

Key Figures in Transition

• Jelly Roll Morton bridged ragtime and jazz with compositions like "King Porter Stomp"
• Eubie Blake's "Charleston Rag" helped transition from ragtime to early jazz styles
• Louis Armstrong incorporated ragtime influences in early jazz trumpet playing and arrangements

Ragtime and Early Jazz: Social and Cultural Contexts

Venues and Performance Spaces

• Flourished in urban entertainment districts often associated with vice and "sporting houses"
• World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago introduced ragtime to wider audience launching careers of ragtime pianists
• Vaudeville circuits provided new performance venues for ragtime and early jazz musicians

Technological and Commercial Factors

• Advent of player pianos and sheet music publishing contributed to ragtime's widespread popularity
• Recording technology allowed for preservation and dissemination of ragtime and early jazz performances
• Tin Pan Alley music publishing industry commercialized and standardized ragtime compositions

Social Impact and Reception

• Popularity among white audiences contributed to commercialization of African American music and ongoing racial tensions
• Challenged racial and gender norms with contributions from women composers (May Aufderheide, Julia Lee Niebergall)
• Ragtime's popularity paved way for commercial success of jazz establishing market for African American-derived popular music