Ragtime: The Root of Modern American Music
At the root of almost all modern American music is Ragtime, itself a synthesis of quintessentially American rhythms and melodies. Made eternally popular by composers like Scott Joplin, ragtime was also emblematic of American culture itself: a synthesis of African- and European-American musical forms, structures, songs, and styles. Drawing on folk songs, blues, and popular tunes from the late nineteenth century, ragtime emerged as a somewhat subversive form of music. The word "ragtime" probably derives from the colloquial term "rag," an energetic dance jig. However, some ragtime historians note that the term connotes ragtime's distinctive rhythmic intensity: its "raggedness." One of the distinguishing features of ragtime is its syncopated rhythms. Yet ragtime also incorporates distinct melodies that derive largely from European music. Ragtime music is mainly piano-based, and it is on the piano that most ragtime tunes come to life most vibrantly. In fact, the medium of the piano lends itself especially well to ragtime because it is at once a percussive and a melodic instrument. Ragtime is socially, culturally, historically, and politically relevant and is emblematic of American culture.The origins of ragtime are as sketchy as the
Ragtime is also tonal: the main key of a rag is clearly identifiable. Scott Joplin compositions illustrate some of the theoretical underpinnings of ragtime. From "Sugar Cane Rag" to "New Rag" to the original "Maple Leaf Rag," Joplin rags are composed in one key and the melodies offset a steady but interesting rhythm. Occasional changes in key, called "accidentals" in formal musical terminology, add spice to what would otherwise be a monotonous piece. Melodic rambling, such as that in "Sugar Cane Rag" enhances the complexity of the music as well. There is no one geographic birthplace of ragtime, just as there is no one inventor of the style. Scott Joplin performed regularly in Missouri, and the St. Louis area is one of the early birthplaces of ragtime music. New York would soon become a hotbed for ragtime. Artists like Duke Ellington and Jelly Roll Morton built on Joplin's licks through their ragtime compositions. Ragtime became so influential a style that European classical composers like Claude Debussy and Igor Stravinsky were influenced by its rhythmic patterns (Levang 1999). The popularity of ragtime music peaked in the 1920s, when it was largely replaced by musical styles that more closely resemble jazz. However, there is much hybridization and cross-over between ragtime, jazz, and even blues. The 1974 Robert Redford/Paul Newman movie The Sting revitalized interest in ragtime because Scott Joplin contributed to the score: the most famous Joplin piece included in The Sting is "The Entertainer." Ragtime cannot be considered outside of its social and political contexts; to do so would be to minimize the features that distinguish ragtime from other musical genres and ignore the immense influence of African rhythms on the style. Wolbert claims that "the musical roots of ragtime are tied to plantation life," in the spirituals and folk songs performed spontaneously and informally. Later, the Harlem Renaissance and the musical climate of the 1920s in general would encompass the heart and soul of ragtime music. Exploring the roots of ragtime reveals that modern African-American music such as rap is built on the same principles of rhythmic complexity and syncopations such as off-the-beat vocals or instrumental melodies. Jazz, of course, immediately followed rag
Some common words found in the essay are:
Scott Joplin, African- European-American, Harlem Renaissance, Levang Ragtime, Joplin's Entertainer, Roll Morton, Entertainer Ragtime, Igor Stravinsky, Frog-I-More Rag, Harlem Revival, ragtime music, scott joplin, ragtime compositions, jelly roll, roots ragtime, african-american music, jazz blues, harlem rag, jelly roll morton, roll morton, emblematic american culture, european classical, distinguishing features ragtime, morton built joplin's, sugar cane rag,
Approximate Word count = 1533
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
