Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Ragtime

by Anson L.

Musically, ragtime is described as a composition written for the piano consisting of three to four sections, each with sixteen measures. The genre is usually recognized for its syncopated melody, which is accompanied by a steady rhythm.

Ragtime is one of the most elusive musical genres in American history. To this day, there is no formal definition of the genre. And to deepen the mystery, while any suggested that the term might have been derived from the word ‘ragged’, a term used to describe Negro dance music, the etymology of the word ‘ragtime’ itself is also unknown (Jasen 2). Historians have attempted to pinpoint the origin of the music along with the name associated with it, but these attempts have been unsuccessful. Some claimed that ragtime music was present at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, but there are no records that show that the term ‘ragtime’ was associated to the musical genre at the time (Berlin 27).

While the name and definition of ragtime is still shrouded in mystery, its origin is not. Ragtime originated in the 1890s and developed and matured during the following decades. Ragtime is usually created by forming and organizing several folk melodies and fusing it with original musical techniques (Schafer 5). The timing of the introduction of ragtime music was crucial to its later success. The emergence of ragtime happened alongside some technological advances that were taking place during the 1890s. During the decade, the music publishing industry experienced a huge boom. Coupled with new technological means of music communications such as recordings and piano rolls, ragtime music became a hit with the public.

Although popular, ragtime was not well received by everyone in the community. Some cultural leaders of the time feared that this was the downfall of classical music. These critics viewed ragtime as a threat to what they thought of as ‘good music’. They also thought that the nation’s youth is exposed, not to the European style of sophisticated culture, but to an African savagery nature (Berlin 32). One thing that critics and many supporters of ragtime music agree on is the vulgar nature of the lyrics, with most songs depicting violence, racial bigotry, greed and sexual promiscuity. Here’s an excerpt from a song titled Do Your Honey Do by Theodore A. Metz
What am de use for to tarry and toil,
And to save up all your dough,
When you feel in your bones,
Dat de gal dat you love,
Is another big nigger’s beau,
And the cheek of dat wench,
For to come around and say,
Dis here love you nebber can share,
I’ve another big coon,
He am de star o’ my soul,
Now do him if you dare,

And I done him, cause I love her
I carved him long, I carved him deep,
Yes I done him, Does you believe me,
And I put that coon to sleep...

The racial stereotype was even more apparent in ‘coon songs’, a musical craze that coexisted with ragtime during the ragtime era. The coon songs were a sign of the white-supremacy sentiment that existed in the 1890s. Coon songs were staple routines of minstrelsy and vaudeville. While it was a commercial success, there was an unfortunate by-product. Coon songs helped the skyrocketing sales of sheet music and concert hall tickets, but brought along with it a widespread racist sentiment. Both coon songs and ragtime music became an outlet for these white-imposed stereotypes and gradually transformed into a commercial showcase of racist humor. An example of this kind of stereotype is displayed in ‘All Coons Look Alike to Me’ by Ernest Hogan.

All coons look alike to me,
I’ve got another beau, you see,
And he’s just as good to me
As you, nig! Ever tried to be.

He spends his money free,
I know we can’t agree,
So I don’t like you no how,
All coons look alike to me.

This song is a particularly interesting example, in that Ernest Hogan was a black songwriter. This perhaps is one of the most unfortunate examples in which a black person of the time is depicted as submitting to the stereotype that the whites want to portray to the nation. Several black singers performed the same song later during the decade, but were hesitant to use the word ‘coon’. Singers such as J. Rosamond Johnson and Bob Cole substituted the word ‘coon’, for ‘boys’ in an attempt to lesson the song’s racial charge.

While ragtime music was not generally viewed in a positive light, it made a huge contribution in the development of a new genre in American music, Jazz. And although much of it was racially stereotypical, it did help to bring black music into the mainstream and made way for genres like jazz to flourish.

Bibliography

Berlin, Edward A. Ragtime: A Musical and Cultural History. University of California Press; Berkeley, CA. 1980

Hasse, John Edward. Ragtime: Its History, Composers, and Music. Schirmer Books; New York, NY. 1985

Jansen, David A. Rags and Ragtime: A Musical History. Seabury Press; New York, NY 1978

Schafer, William J. The Art of Ragtime: Form and Meaning of an Original Black American Art. Louisiana State University Press; Baton Rouge, LA. 1973

Waldo, Terry. This Is Ragtime. Hawthorn Books; New York, NY 1976

9 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Music has always been a controversial subect. I am not surprised to discover that ragtime history is a debated subject. Also I am not surprised that the music had been more influential to the blacks of that time. Many of the styles of music around this time were popularized more by one group than another. Also many music histories have often been historically wrong when they write music history.

10:19 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ragtime is certainly one of those curiousities that emerged during the 1890s. Given the very contradictions underpinning the era and discussions specifically surrounding ragtime (i.e. racialized music during a racist and eugenics driven era, claims of "savagery" being related to such a disciplined and disciplining form/style of music, etc.), it seems peculiar that ragtime ever became popular. But then again, perhaps that is why it was popular. We tend to denigrate things we can't do or don't understand; the "It's not that I CAN'T do it, it's that I choose not to because it is beneath me" approach to claiming superiority.

10:10 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ragtime is a prime example of how music reflects beliefs and attitudes of the time. It's also interesting that the threat it posed to the youth with its vulgar lyrics and controversial topics is repeated throughout the twentieth century with the emergence of swing, rock and roll and later rap. Music is an important tool that represents progressive thoughts and ideas.

8:33 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think it is very important to note (as always) how history tends to repeat itself. We are nowliving in a time when hip-hop and R&B seem to be topping the charts and we have this backlash from mostly middle America against its popularity.

It seems that across decades this has been the case, "ethnic" influence over popular culture has been considered somehow dangerous to the existing American fabric; I think in this way we see what Lauren was talking about, the fear of change. Examples can be found even as recently as the 1950s when the country was in outrage over Rock n' Roll.

2:51 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ragtime music was used during the emergence of cinema around 1915. Some of the first sound films included an African American playing the piano and singing a short tune. Even though ragtime seemed to be a controversy in the 1890's in some way it gained popularity in the form of blues music. Great blog post...it's very interseting to hear about the beginning of entertainment

10:46 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I find it interesting that the emergence of new styles of music are harshly criticized. Each generation builds on the last, as we see artists incorporate different musical genres together. I wonder if the attitudes of ragtime can also be attributed to the current style of rap music. I find it ironic that derogatory and racial remarks have become accepted in the current culture.

8:52 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Being rather unfamiliar with ragtime, I didn't realize there was so many racial discrimination or degradation associated with it. Generally, when I think of ragtime, I think of the "Entertainer." This was a very informative and effective post.

4:08 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I've heard of the term 'ragtime' music, and often thought of the 1950's in places such as Harlem and Chicago. I didn't know its history dated back so far. I thought it was just fast paced music accompanied by piano and bass instruments. The racial implications behind the music speak to the perception of blacks in the United States. I'm sure if you read into some of the modern music today, not much has really changed.

1:01 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Since you mention that some feared that ragtime would be the downfall of classical music, I wonder, were ragtime songs the first to emphasize racial prejudice? Although I know there was a lot of prejudice during the 1890s, did the new form of music allow for subjects that were previously not spoken of in music to be talked about? Whether ragtime served that purpose or not, it's sad that a form of music derived from African Americans music would be used to express negtive stereotypes of African Americans.

9:35 AM  

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