Ragtime & 20th Century Pop Music

Question 1

Ragtime
Ragged time (to rag)
Scott Joplin
Ragtime Form

Answer 1

Piano music (roots in salon music), was pop in 19th century
Syncopation and improv on pop tunes (make them funky)
Most famous ragtime composer; wanted ragtime to equal EU classical music, and made operas and plays too
AABBACCDD

Question 2

Ragtime as Pop Music
Reactions to ragtime
Irving Berlin

Answer 2

Was 1st youth movement
Musician’s union banned members from playing ragtime; lots didn’t like it
Had Tin Pan Alley publishing house; one of most influential 20th century US songwriters; thought that “ragtime captures speed and snap of US life”

Question 3

Stride Piano
Harlem Renaissance
Rent Parties

Answer 3

LH plays bass note than chord, repeats, and RH plays syncopation and melody; begins in Harlem
Period when black music, theatre, books, etc. came from Harlem
Tenants hire musician or band to play at party and collect rent from partygoers; big in developing blues and jazz in US

Question 4

James P Johnson

Answer 4

Greatest Stride pianist of all time

Question 5

Thomas “Fats” Waller

Answer 5

JPJ student; biggest entertainer of his era

Question 6

Social Dancing
 Vernon and Irene Castle
 James Reese Europe
  Clef Club
  Hellfighters Band
 The Charleston
 Lindy Hop

Answer 6

Heavily influenced by choreographer
Dancers who taught other people how to dance; heavy on improv
Music director; leader of Hellfighters Band
Black social booking and social club
Msucians led by Europe who fought (NOT alongside whites) and played music afterwards
Hugely popular; think flying legs and feet
Involves tossing people around (in the air, on the floor, etc.)

Question 7

Golden Age of Tin Pan Alley Songwriting

Verse-Refrain Form

Answer 7

Great composers made during this time (Irving Berlin, George and IRa Gershwin, Cole Porter, Jerome KErn, etc.); made standards everyone knew (were escape songs about love, happiness, etc.)
Verse (INtro, rubato), then AABA refrain (32 measures long)

Question 8

New Tech
Recording, Microphones
“Crooning” vocal style
Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra

Answer 8

Change way people sing (less volume)
 Lighter singing (no belting)
 Astaire most influential dancer on film; Frank greatest crooner of all time; one of most influential 20th century pop artists; started as teen idol in big bands; was also an actor (got best supporting actor for From Here To Eternity)