Ragtime als Spielpraxis
"Ragtime" is generally defined as written piano music of Afro-American origin, restricted to the late 19th and early 20th century. However, written sources describing Ragtime as unwritten piano playing style and music performed as song and dance, or played by various combinations of instruments (as well as band and orchestra) are abundant.
Piano sheet music or, to be precise, written ragtime music, does not only hand down music, which otherwise would have been lost, but may also reveal at least some aspects of oral tradition. Especially sheet music covers provide significant information for the study of performance practice if examined closely: the titles, the images, the number of editions, the price, and the number and kind of arrangements which are available of the same piece of music describe the broad spectrum of a music that is alive in performances.
When aspects of performance practice history are examined, the following characteristic traits can be summarized: No strict differences between ragtime played and performed as dance, song or instrumental music may be drawn. It was part of the playing tradition to arrange popular songs "in ragtime" or to "rag" various existing melodies (e. g. "ragging the classics"). Published "Medleys" (see appendix) and descriptions by contemporary composers (such as James P. Johnson) prove this practice. Written documents by contemporaries (a selection is presented in the appendix) also prove that each ragtime player had his own particular playing style. In so-called "cutting contests" ragtime pianists competed in skillful playing.
The frequently quoted: "Note. Do not play this piece fast. It is never right to play Ragtime fast. Composer" attributed to Scott Joplin is often misinterpreted and often applied to all ragtime. Scott Joplin was exceptional among ragtime composers/players when restricting the freedom of playing for his own ragtime compositions, thus establishing playing "rules".