What is ragtime?
Q: What is ragtime?
A: Ragtime (or rag-time) is a musical genre which enjoyed its peak popularity between 1897 and 1918. It has a syncopated, or 'ragged', rhythm and began as dance music in the red-light districts of American cities such as St. Louis and New Orleans before being published as popular sheet music for piano.
Q: Who was the most famous ragtime composer?
A: The most famous ragtime composer was Scott Joplin, who became famous through the publication in 1899 of his Maple Leaf Rag and other subsequent hits.
Q: How did ragtime influence classical composers?
A: Ragtime influenced classical composers including Erik Satie, Claude Debussy and Igor Stravinsky. It also had an impact on English ballroom dances such as the foxtrot and quickstep.
Q: When did ragtime fall out of favor?
A: Ragtime fell out of favor around 1917 when jazz gained more public attention.
Q: What caused revivals of interest in ragtime after 1917?
A: Revivals of interest in ragtime occurred first in the 1940s when many jazz bands included it in their repertoire, then again in 1950s with recordings becoming available, followed by Joshua Rifkin's compilation album nomination for a Grammy Award in 1971, then finally with The Sting movie soundtrack featuring Joplin tunes that was released in 1973.
Q: How did John Philip Sousa contribute to the development of ragtime?
A: John Philip Sousa made marches popular which were modified to create what we now know as ragtime with additional polyrhythms typical of African music added to them.
