Ragtime

Ragtime is a popular piano-led style that emerged in the 1890s. It is considered one of the first forms of music inherent to the USA, beginning as a dance accompaniment in African American communities, particularly Missouri, before being popularly circulated as piano rolls and sheet music. Together with Blues, ragtime paved the way for Jazz in the 20th century. The term "ragtime" is thought to stem from its heavily syncopated rhythm, appearing almost "ragged". It is credited to Ernest Hogan, a key figure in pioneering the genre. Typically, a ragtime pianist would play a steady, "oom-pah" patterned beat with his or her left hand, and the primary melodic "rag" line with the right hand. The music developed from the late Romanticism of March and "salon music" in the 19th century, most notably the compositions of John Philip Sousa, as well as the saloon piano music of the Old West. It was often played in a 2/4 time signature, featured frequent repeated sections and made use of "blue notes", a feature that would become commonplace in jazz music (intentionally playing a note in a flatter pitch, often to a microtonal degree). Although famously known for piano compositions, ragtime was also influenced by late 19th century banjo and mandolin playing.