Ragged and Timely
- Mar 25
- 3 min read
A (Sort of) Concise Introduction to Ragtime
In place of our spotlights this week, let’s delve into a genre I mentioned in last week’s reflection: ragtime.
For many, exposure to ragtime has been limited to the ice cream truck that used to crawl down their street blaring Scott Joplin’s “The Entertainer.” During its heyday in the early 20th century, however, the style was near ubiquitous. Developed primarily by African-American composers and musicians at the end of the 19th century, ragtime earned its name from the “ragged,” syncopated rhythms that pervade every measure.
Ragtime enjoyed commercial success in a time when recording technology was still in its infancy. Sheet music sales and piano roles buoyed a social scene that became constantly underscored by rag pianists playing in the corner. You know that acoustic guitarist singing at your local watering hole? The remixed early-2000s hits getting everyone dancing in the club? The extravagant film scores earning wealthy composers Oscars and Grammys every year?
At one point, all of that was ragtime. Rag players were the backbone and backbeat of every bar scene; the people in charge of getting the dancers moving; the live film scorers down at your local theater, accompanying the film as it played.
Though ragtime’s popularity waned with the rise of jazz, its influence has been felt since its inception. In particular, the characteristic syncopations (accented notes that fall on weak beats or in between beats) of ragtime opened the door for further rhythmic exploration in popular music. (Listen to Stravinsky’s “Piano-Rag-Music,” and you’ll see that rhythmic eccentricities were already common in the weirder corners of music, but less so in the popular sphere).
So far, we’ve taken you on a historical journey; now, we’ll take you on a listening journey.
Weeping Willow Rag (1903)
by Scott Joplin
If you’ve heard of ragtime, you’ve probably heard of Scott Joplin. Joplin was dubbed “The King of Ragtime” and became one of only a small handful of Black musicians in this era who enjoyed recognition and popularity during his lifetime. “Weeping Willow Rag” is not one of his most famous works, but is still a delightful gem in the back of his catalogue. Be sure to listen to his more famous works as well, including “The Maple Leaf Rag” and “The Entertainer.”
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Piano-Rag-Music (1919)
by Igor Stravinsky
I’ve read many histories of ragtime and not once has Stravinsky been named.
Admittedly, Stravinsky didn’t have a significant enough impact on the development of the style to be considered an influential ragtime composer; however, it is true that he explored the style on several occasions in his own work. I include this piece primarily as an indication of the breadth of ragtime’s popularity and influence, as it reached far beyond the piano halls of the United States.
Too Tight (1926)
by Blind Blake
In my opinion (which, I’ll admit, matters very little), Blind Blake is one of the greatest composers and performers of ragtime in the history of the tradition. In fact, I considered replacing this entire segment with a long biography on his life and work. His technical brilliance on the guitar (Big Bill Broonzy said he never saw someone “pick as much guitar” as Blake, which is high praise) allowed him to mimic piano rags closely without losing depth. His playing also marked a notable intersection between ragtime and blues, two storied traditions he blended seamlessly. Please, please, please (no, not a Sabrina Carpenter reference) go give his music a listen!
Graceful Ghost Rag (1970)
by William Bolcolm
This piece is among the better known fixtures of the ragtime revival of the 1960s and 70s. Where Blind Blake drove to the core of ragtime and found the blues, Bolcolm gave ragtime a shower and a shave. His academic polish shines through without doing damage to the ragged nature of the style.
Maple Leaf Rag (1976 recording)
by Scott Joplin (as performed by Dave van Ronk)
In this recording, we find the compositional brilliance of Joplin, the guitar prowess of Blind Blake, and the modernity of Bolcolm wrapped in one brilliant performance by Dave van Ronk. Van Ronk played an important role in both the folk and ragtime revivals in the mid-twentieth century, and there’s no complete picture of this musical style in the modern era without reference to his work.
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