Ragtime

History

Few documents from time period, wasnt written down until the middle to end
of Ragtime era.
Late 19th century
Same time it started being recorded its name ragtime was
coined along with cakewalk and two-step.
Second Half of the 19th century, for African-Americans to release feeling and
emotions along with speak out about issues central to their lives.
Whites took the type of music from African-Americans claiming as their own.
Tried to copy the same style of rhythm as well.
Could be heard in ballrooms, saloons and sporting houses.
Businesses used Ragtime Artist to promote their own things.
Was played with the piano.

Cultural and Historical Implications

Often associated with the end of slavery

Type of celebration music
Also used to mock previous slave owners
Changed life for African-Americans because they were finally able to express
themselves more freely through music.

Circumstances of Composition, Sources, and Influences

The end of slavery played a huge role in the development of Ragtime Music.
Scott Joplin was famous for his ragtime music
Helped by John Stillwell Stark who was one of the few who didnt take
advantage of his workers and paid them royalties
Most of the influence and sources came from past experiences and the
difficulties of being a slave and the trials gone through
Tin Pan Alley Peddlers exploited ragtime composers and artists.

Related Works

Ragtime came after the Rags genre but was the music that lead into Jazz and
then beyond.
Was the starting point of the genre gaining popularity.
Other popular artist besides Scott Joplin were: Eubie Blake, Fats Waller, James
Reese Europe, and Wilbur Sweatman

Contemporary Criticism

Many did not consider it music

Someone once said that those who dont like ragtime dont like it because of
they want to hide their ignorance and inability to play it.

Defined as rhythmic treatment of a melody or score, and consists in tying

unaccented notes to accented notes with an intensify on the accented
notes.
Uses 16-bar strains with rhythmic figure of 1-2-1

Quotes and Notes

Syncopations are no indication of light or trashy music, and to shy bricks at

hateful ragtime no longer passes for musical culture Scott Joplin
o Discussing the idea that ragtime is trashy music and that it shouldnt
be considered musical
I have come from France more firmly convinced than ever that Negros
should write Nero music. We have our own racial feeling and if we try to copy
whites we will make bad copies We won France by playing music which was
ours and not pale imitation of others, and if we are to develop in America we
must develop along our own lines. James Reese Europe
o Discussing how the type of music should be their own and not copied
from another race.

Artistic Analysis

Can see the changes in Ragtime popularity through the art on the album
covers.
Three types.
1: Reflect caricatures of African-American cultures and life
2: Romanticizes African-American life and shows dance halls
3: Those of early ragtime where it was not recorded.

Jazz
History
Classical Period

During this period there was a change in the way people viewed music. The
focus shifted away from having two or more independent melodic voices over bass,
to being centered on harmonic structure.

Jazz musicians during this time had to learn how to blend their own playing
style with others in their instrumental section. Being a great jazz soloist at this time
was not as important as being able to perform well with others. Although the
musicians of this period were said to have more command and proficiency with their
instruments then those in the decade prior.
Romantic Period

The romantic period of jazz was all about increasing the emotional impact
and projection of the music. The raised emotion created a more colorful dynamic
sound.

The increased dynamics meant they required more of each instrument. The
instrumentalists started playing notes that were beyond what was traditionally
expected.
20th Century Music/Modern Jazz


At this time some of the composers began to think that the Romanticized
style of music was becoming too long and drawn out. So the once again they
started leaning towards classical, but rather converting back altogether they
combined the styles together creating a new style.

However, modern jazz did not go back. Instead they created a newer style
called bop and progressive.
New Style Jazz

This new style of Jazz incorporated a different style than the previous hot
emotional style and it was more cool.

Performers developed this tone quality without vibrato or using slow vibrato if
any at all. The concept of the beat became subtly incorporated into the music.

Cultural and Historical Implications

Louis Armstrong affected the way that African-Americans were viewed in the
music industry
Used as a way of provoking feelings
When whites took over Jazz was seen in the interviews.
Focus shifted from black culture and people to whiteness.
Made history as an African-American Jazz musician who played multiple
instruments.

Circumstances of Composition, Sources, and Influences

Louis Armstrong arrived at playing Jazz music after being arrested and sent to
a home for boys where he learned to play music and formed a band.
He played his feelings through blues, rags, sentimental, jazz.
Was inspired by Bing Crosby to start playing music.

Related Works

Ella Fitzgerald was a friend and collaborator to Louis Armstrong.

They have multiple albums together
Popular with many different groups; blacks and whites alike.
Other musicians such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Mary Lou Williams
were also influential in the development of the Jazz industry.

Contemporary Criticism

Main judgement of Louis Armstrong and others was the stage performance.
Comedy, mugging, popping eyes and big grin.
People thought that it was too much
Acting like the typical stereotype Black man instead himself
Thought it was portraying the past and not present or future.

Quotes and Notes

What we play is life. Louis Armstrong

Shows that to them at the time Jazz wasnt just entertainment, they
were showing their lives to the public through music

If you have to ask, youll never know. Louis Armstrong

Speaking on the topic of jazz and its meaning etc.
Louis Armstrong set the bar for great jazz music.

Artistic Analysis

Spoke about Equality and Freedom in public and in his music.

In an interview he was quoted saying The way they are treating my people
in the South, they can go to hell.
When speaking on the Little Rock incident.
Cancelled Oversees tour to go perform in Little Rock
In the same interview he said I dont get involved in politics. I just blow my
horn.
Meaning he speaks on the issues of politics and equality through his
music.
Evident in lyrics of songs such as Black and Blue
My only sin is my skin. What did I do to be so black and blue.

Bibliography
Harer, Ingeborg. "Defining Ragtime Music: Historical and Typological Research." Studia
Musicologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 38.3/4 (1997): 409-15. Web.
Helm, Sanford M. "Jazz: Music History in Miniature." Music Educators Journal 51.4 (1965):
53-180. Web.
"Louis Armstrong Biography." The Biography.com Website. A&E Networks Television, 20 May
2016. Web. 31 Aug. 2016. <http://www.biography.com/people/louis-armstrong9188912#younger-years>.
Margolick, David. "The Day Louis Armstrong Made Noise." The New York Times. The New
York Times, 22 Sept. 2007. Web. 03 Oct. 2016.
Meadows, Eddie S. "Armstrong, Louis." The African American Encyclopedia. Second ed. Vol.
One. Tarrytown, New York: Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 2001. 119-22. Print.
Abstracts and Questions:
In Ingeborg Harers essay, as the title Defining Ragtime Music: Historical and Typological
Research suggest, there is an analysis and research study done on the history and typology of

Ragtime music. Harer looks extensively into the rhythm and beats of popular Ragtime music and
looks into musical information to develop the specific style used in ragtime music. That is the
style that classifies one song as Ragtime over Classical etc. Before looking into the typology of
the music however, Harer looks into the background and history to develop where it began, what
it specifically meant as a culture, how it changed, and the importance of it today. In conclusion,
Harer found that there are three different types of Ragtime music; all of which show a different
time period in which they were written.
1) What do you think about the white perception on African American life in the type two of
ragtime music?
In Sanford Helms article Jazz: Music History in Miniature., he examines the roll of jazz music
in culture and the different types of Jazz music. He goes from Classical to romantical to
twentieth century all the way to modern examining all the different cultural aspects of the jazz
and the way that it changed culture. Classical and Romantic Jazz were both during the 19th
century, one after the other. The Twentieth Century, for the sake of examining, was considered
the period of Jazz from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the Second World War.
Modern Jazz, in the article is considered from the end of World War II to present. Another aspect
that was examined was the characteristics of each type of jazz: the rhythm and the typology.
Including in each analysis was a focus on different artist of the time periods and how they
changed the music themselves too.
1) What type of the four do you think of when you think jazz? What does that show about
our culture and its attitude and knowledge of the culture?