The Ragtime Story

The birth of ragtime is commonly set by the date of the first published rag. In 1895, Ben Harney published his ragtime song You've Been a Good Old Wagon in Louisville. This was the man who, a year later, brought ragtime to popularity in New York City. The first instrumental ragtime was William Krell's Mississippi Rag in January, 1897. It was not until the end of 1897, however, that Negro instrumental ragtime made its way to the publishers' presses with Tom Turpin's Harlem Rag. Having already published marches and waltzes, Scott Joplin finally published Original Rags in 1899.

Relying on published works of music is misleading. This view of the birth of ragtime suggests that white men were at the forefront of sculpting the art form and that the best ragtime was committed to the printed page. Blacks were playing ragtime long before Krell's Orchestra, and making enough money from tips to live well. Even when publishers began to accept their lively, syncopated pieces, many composers rarely sold their work, having little need of money beyond the tips that accompanied performances in bars or on stage. If publication represents the birth of ragtime, then there had been a long gestation including many late night sessions when pianists and bands would rag behind closed doors--in private homes or in bars after closing--where the most elaborate and boisterous music was often reserved for the artists' personal enjoyment.

Like any musical style, ragtime had its roots in many predecessors. But even after ragtime developed into a recognizable style, publishers shyed away from the syncopated rhythms, afraid that sales would follow the Italian for syncopation, alla zoppa (limping), rather than the English colloquial ``driving notes''. Eventually, syncopated notes drove sales for ragtime music so furiously that publishers labelled even unsyncopated music with the name to spur sales.

The musical roots of ragtime are tied to plantation life. One popular form of entertainment was the Cakewalk. Couples in fancy dress would promenade, and the best walkers would ``take the cake''. The cakewalk eventually made its way to vaudeville, even to Europe.

In the years preceeding the publication of ragtime, another form of entertainment arising from black culture made its way to the white man's world: 'Coon Songs. These rambunctious songs involved whooping and hollering as loud and as creatively as possible. Just as there were cakewalk contests, there were 'coon shouting matches. The contrast between the two did not end at their diverse styles: The winner of a 'coon shouting match would have to find his own dessert. The name is based in the racial slur 'coon.

Rhythms which were part of a musical heritage brought from Africa were incorporated into cakewalks, 'coon songs, and the music of ``jig bands'' which eventually developed into ragtime. The music, vitalized by the opposing rhythms common to African dance, was vibrant, enthusiastic, often extemporaneous.

Raised in a musical family, Joplin was familiar with this musical heritage. Giles Joplin played the violin and his wife, Florence Givens Joplin, sang and played banjo. Scott Joplin had three brothers and two sisters. Monroe was the eldest Joplin boy. Scott's younger brothers Will and Robert were singers; Will also played guitar and violin, and Robert composed popular songs. Myrtle and Ossie, Scott's sisters, were also undoubtedly involved with music. Scott himself began with the family guitar and also learned cornet. But his musical talent blossomed on a neighbor's piano, convincing his father to purchase an old piano. Giles wanted his son to learn a trade, but Scott's practiced talent was sufficient to keep him employed most of his life.

At eleven years young, Scott Joplin so impressed a local German piano teacher that he gave the young boy free lessons including elements of music theory. Joplin repaid this kindness by keeping in touch with him, sending money when his old teacher fell into poverty. Thus Joplin encountered the great European and American classics, from Johann Sebastian Bach to Louis Moreau Gottschalk. This marked another avenue for the entry of African elements into ragtime, as Gottschalk had incorporated African, Caribbean, and Creole rhythms and melodies into many of his works. Joplin was also exposed to opera, a bug which infected him more later in life as he strove to produce ragtime operas.

After the death of his mother in 1882, young Scott struck out on his own to make his fortune shaping America's music.