Ragtime is a musical genre that originated in the late 19th century in the United States. It is characterized by its syncopated rhythm and its use of the piano as the primary instrument. The genre is characterized by its use of ragtime-style piano playing, syncopated rhythm, and its emphasis on the offbeat.
Ragtime is considered a precursor to jazz. Jazz music emerged from a fusion of various musical styles, including ragtime, blues, and spirituals. Ragtime was a major influence on early jazz and helped lay the foundation for jazz as a musical genre.
One of the defining characteristics of ragtime is its use of syncopated rhythms. This means that the music places emphasis on beats that fall between the normally accented beats in a piece of music. This creates a rhythmic pattern that is both syncopated and repetitive, which is a major factor in ragtime’s appeal.
Ragtime was popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and was widely played in dance halls and other venues. The genre reached its peak of popularity between the late 1890s and the early 1910s.
Ragtime’s popularity declined with the rise of jazz, which was seen as a more modern and sophisticated form of music. However, ragtime remained a popular genre, and many ragtime pieces have been recorded and performed to this day.
In conclusion, ragtime is a musical genre that originated in the late 19th century in the United States. It is characterized by its syncopated rhythm and its use of the piano as the primary instrument. Ragtime was a major influence on early jazz and helped lay the foundation for jazz as a musical genre. Despite the decline of its popularity with the rise of jazz, ragtime remains a popular genre and continues to be performed and recorded to this day.
Source: “The Oxford Handbook of Music Revival” edited by Derek B. Scott, “Jazz: A History” by Frank Tirro, and “A History of Jazz” by Mark C. Gridley.
