The prelude to Jazz and Pop

Ragtime and Tin Pan Alley

Ragtime

• Most popular between 1895 and 1918

• Characterized by its syncopated rhythms• “the placement of rhythmic

stresses where they wouldn’t normally occur” – what does that mean?

• Let’s try…• The Entertainer

• Almost always associated with piano

• A tune could be “ragged” – syncopate

Background

• Origins• St. Louis, MO and New Orleans, LA• African American Red light Districts • Dance Music• Marches + African American Rhythms = birth of ragtime

• What is ragtime?

• Development• Publishing • Popular Entertainment• Dance Example

Ernest Hogan1865-1909

• First African American man to produce and star in a Broadway musical (The Oyster Man, 1907)

• The creator of ragtime (?)• Coined the term ‘ragtime’• From Bowling Green, KY• Considered to be one of the

most talented performers and comedians of his day

• (In)famous for writing the song “All Coons Look Alike To Me”

• Hogan is an example of the transition from Minstrelsy to Ragtime as being the most popular popular music.

Scott Joplin1868-1917

• By far, the most famous composer and pianist in the genre of ragtime

• From working family in Texas

• Went to the Chicago World Fair in 1893• Big role in ragtime craze by

1897

• Two most famous pieces:• Maple Leaf Rag (1899)• The Entertainer (1902)

• Also composed an opera:• Treemonisha

Jelly Roll Morton1890-1941

• Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe• A pivotal figure in early

jazz• Saw the transition from

ragtime into jazz• Evolution from ragtime into

stride piano

• Tiger Rag

Player Piano

• http://youtu.be/ydcRAMZl0l0• Popular from the late 1800s to

the late 1920s• Rose in popularity along side

the standard upright piano• If you were middle class or

higher, it was expected that you have a piano in your home

• Player pianos were more expensive; functional; no need to hire someone to play all night

• Paper roll with perforations

Leading up to Tin Pan Alley

• Music publishing after Civil War• Variety shows (vaudeville); musical theatre; piano rolls;

home entertainment

• Big cities are publishing centers• Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, etc

• New York City• Harms brothers, 1881 – publishing firm, E. 14th St. • Others followed after their success

Tin Pan Alley

• c. 1885 to 1930-1950• Rise of the radio and phonograph

= fall of T.P.A.

• Centered around W. 28th St, between 5th and 6th Ave in NYC

• What is Tin Pan Alley?• Commercial music• Name possibly refers to the

“tinny” sound of low-quality upright pianos; many pianos being played• iTunes in 1915

• Song Pluggers: demonstrated songs on the piano for buyers; sometimes are also composers

How did popular songs become popular?

• Prior to 1920s/30s• Theatre (musical theatre, vaudeville)• Publishing • Advertising

• 1920s/30s• Phonographs • Radio

• 1940s• Radio

• 1950s• Television• Radio

Tin Pan Alley Songs

• Always• Intro• Verse(s)• Chorus (repeated)

• Sometimes• Outro• Short Interludes• Bridge (rare)

• Focus on the chorus• How does the chorus function?

• Recording’s influence on production of songs• Time limit

Hello! Ma Baby

• Joseph Howard, Ida Emerson; 1899

• A “Coon Song”• Cover Depiction• African American references in

lyrics

• First reference to the telephone in popular music

• About a relationship that takes place over the phone

Hello! My Baby (cont’d)

• Example 1• Example 2

CHORUSHello! ma babyHello! ma honeyHello! ma ragtime galSend me a kiss by wireBaby, ma heart's on fire!If you refuse meHoney, you'll lose meThen you'll be left aloneOh, baby, telephoneAnd tell me I'm your own!

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

• Jack Norsworth, Albert von Tilzer; 1908

• Unofficial “anthem” of baseball• Neither composer had ever

been to a baseball game

• Example 1• Example 2

Irving Berlin1888-1989

• Born in what is present day Belarus

• Father moved family to America• Very poor home life; difficult

childhood; very little education• First job with music publisher at

age 18 • Wrote an estimated 1,500 songs

over the course of a 60 year career

• Excellent ear for music, but not ‘trained;’ very little piano skills; music in his head, not his hands

• Advised not to take composition lessons later in life; worried that it would “cramp his style”

Irving Berlin (cont’d)

• Went on to write 19 Broadway musicals, 18 Hollywood films, nominated 8 times for Academy Awards• Oscar for “Best Music in an

Original Song” – White Christmas

• Top Berlin Songs• Blue Skies• White Christmas• You Can’t Get A Man With A Gun• Cheek to Cheek• There’s No Business Like Show

Business• God Bless America

God Bless America

• Written in 1918 • Yip Yip Yaphank – not included

• Revised and popularized in 1938• Kate Smith• A “peace song” – what is

happening in 1938?• Criticism from Woodie Guthrie• Jingoistic?• Response: This Land Is Your Land

• Example 1• Example 2• Example 3• Example 4• Example 5

Opinion Short Response

• Do you think that the meaning and/or function of “God Bless America” is inherently good or bad? Explain why.

• Things to consider:• Unrealistic portrayal?• What do the lyrics imply?• How was the song used?• How is the song used in

present day?• What message does the song

send? • Is it something everyone can

relate to?

While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,

Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free,Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer.

God bless America,Land that I love,Stand beside her, and guide herThrough the night with a light from above.From the mountains, to the prairies,To the oceans, white with foamGod bless America, My home sweet homeGod bless America, My home sweet home*

*last two lines original: God bless America, my own sweet home

Jerome Kern1885-1945

• Got his start in Tin Pan Alley, but mostly recognized for his contributions to Musical Theatre

• More on him later…

Cole Porter1892-1964

• Family and upbringing• Distant father• Spoiled mother• Overbearing grandfather• Disapproval of Music

• Worcester Academy and Yale• Valedictorian• Founding member of the

Whiffenpoofs• President of the Yale Glee Club

• Harvard Law• Change of heart

• But more on him later…

George Gershwin1898-1937

• From New York• Worked as a song plugger• Got his start in Tin Pan

Alley• Primarily a musical theatre

composer• Considered by many as a

‘hybrid’ between musical theatre and classical

• More on him later…