Ragtime

African-American songs known as “Coon Songs” (1830s-),“Cakewalk” (1890s) Ragtime (1897)

Coon Songs 1830-1910Used as Required Composition for the “Ragtime Championship of the World 1900

Cakewalk

A Popular Dance, “high-steppin”

Competition: Madison Square Garden 1892

Expression “That Takes the Cake”

Cake Walk Photo 1890s

Ragtime (1897-1917)African American Piano StyleDefinition:

• Syncopated piano music• Two beats per measure, 16 measure sections• Right hand plays syncopated melody often in the

pattern: 3-3-2, 2xs faster that left hand• Left hand plays “boom-chick” (bass note-chord)• Rondo form

Classic Ragtime: Scott Joplin (1869-1917)

Term used to distinguish from “Tin Pan” alley compositionsMost famous Ragtime Composer“Maple Leaf Rag” (1900)Also wrote a ballet and 2 operasMost famous opera is “Treemonisha”

Scott Joplin: Maple Leaf Rag

Form AABBACCDD

A - first melody

B - second melody

C - third melody

D - fourth melody

Ragtime Bands

Bands arranged piano rags

“At A Georgia Camp Meeting” (Sousa)

“Castle Cake Walk” (Europe)

James Reese Europe

Clef Club Orchestra

Chosen by Dancers Vernon & Irene Castle

WW I Conducted 369th Hellfighter’s Band, brought “jazz” to France

James Reese Europe

Vernon & Irene Castle

Classic Ragtime to Stride Piano

Classic Ragtime usually considered pre-jazz because it was written(without improvisation)Stride Piano was 1st jazz piano style began to fade in late 1930s

• Left hand “boom-chick” (bass - chord)• Right hand improvised melody

Stride Piano

James P. Johnson ‘Father of Stride”

• “Carolina Shout” (1921), often considered 1st jazz piano recording

• Also wrote classical compositions

Stride Piano

Thomas Fats WallerMaster showman

• “Handful of Keys”• “Christopher

Columbus”Wrote important

jazz tunes

Stride Piano Fats Waller

Stride Piano Fats Waller

Boogie Woogie

Piano Style beginning in 1928

The term pre-dates the piano style

Left hand plays repeated pattern “Eight to the bar”

Usually in Blues Form

1st recording is Pinetop SmithJimmy Yancy

Pete Johnson 1938 Concert