Ragtime began to develop in the 1890's and became the most popular music in America between 1900 and 1911, this was called the "Golden Age of Ragtime".
The African-American played ragtime music in groups and worked for tips in bars and on stage and made quite a good living at it. It wasn't until the end of 1897 though that an African-Amercian ragtime song was published. "Tom Turpin's" "Harlem Rag" was that song.
Tom Turpin
"Harlem Rag"
The "King" of ragtime writers was "Scott Joplin" who set the form for ragtime or syncopation between beat and melody. This music was energized by the opposing rhythms common to African dance. Ragtime has been traced to minstrel shows and cakewalks. It is a mixture of the march, polka and 2 step.
During the days of slavery the cakewalk was a mimick dance. The slaves would dress up in their finery, mimicking the plantation owners dress, and march in a line to the beat of the music. The winners of this cakewalk would have to find a dessert among the group.
Joplin was a diverse song writer and even tried his hand at an opera. Some of his ragtime works were:"Please Say You Will", "A Picture of Her Face", "Original Rags", "Maple Leaf Rag", "Entertainer"(which was later used as the movie theme for "The Sting") and "Ragtime Dance"
Scott Joplin
Original Rag
Entertainer
Other important ragtime artists were "Eubie Blake," "John W."Blind" Boone," "Artie Matthews," "Henry Lodge," "Lucky Roberts" and "William "The Lion" Smith."
"Eudie Blake"
Charleston Rag
"Joseph Lamb"
Reindeer Rag
"James Scott"
Great Scott Rag
By 1917 classic ragtime was on the decline but again in the 50's "Joseph Lamb" published some more piano solos which became hits including the "Entertainer". As performers began to rag both melody and accompaniment, ragtime began to develop into "Jazz" and improvisation.
