(Note: Although 1912 was not "officially" considered in the Edwardian era, that year was still referred to as being in the Edwardian era, as were several more years afterward.)
"At the dawn of the century, Ragtime music popularized by Scott Joplin became the rage in North America. Ragtime is a style of lively, syncopated music filled with counterpoint and harmonic contrasts. Typically, the bass notes establish the beat and the the melodic notes fall unexpectedly on and off beat, creating an energetic and original sound. The musical style has its roots in African American traditions on Southern plantations, such as "Coon songs" and "Cakewalks" which were often accompanied by vibrant music reminscent of African dances. Even before the Edwardian era, ragtime had begun to sweep across the Mississippi Valley in the late 1890s, predominantly driven by African American pianists such as Theodore Northrup and W.H. Krell. Joplin, known affectionately as the "King of Ragtime", borrowed from the classic styles of composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach and Louis Moreau Gottschalk to create a renowned musical tradition that reached its height of popularity in the late 1910s. Joplin's most popular rags are titled The Entertainer and The Maple Leaf Rag."
I thought it would be a treat for all of us to get a small taste of the music that was popular during the Edwardian era. And so, on that note, I give you Scott Joplin's most popular rags, "The Entertainer," and "The Maple Leaf Rag." The third video is of Miss Jo March from
Scraps playing "The Maple Leaf Rag."
"The Maple Leaf Rag" - played by Jo from
Jo March on
Vimeo.
