Ragtime
Ragtime is an old yet enjoyable genre that was created by piano players for saloons and was derived from African American folk music, banjo music, and cakewalks.
It is most oftenly composed in a 2/4 time signature. While most oftenly the piano versions of ragtime music are played, sometimes
the pieces are converted for orchestral play, such as the Maple Leaf Rag by Scott Joplin.
Playing ragtime takes quite some skill. The main melody in the piece consists of many syncopations while the bass consists of a regularly accented
melody. This might be less of a problem for orchestral players, but it is a problem for pianists, since two completely different types of melodies have to be played
at the same time. The result, though, is a rather catchy tune.
It was about 1897 that Ragtime was starting its popularity. The true start of the popularity of Ragtime started in 1899, when Scott Joplin released a ragtime piece
entiled "Maple Leaf Rag" after the Maple Leaf Club in Sedalia, Missouri. Other people known to be popular for their ragtime compositions were Thomas Turpin, James Scott, and Eubie Blake.
The popularity of ragtime died down around World War I, but ragtime pieces have not been forgotten.
For MIDI samplings and/or more information on the topic just covered, click here to see some specialized links.
