Typologische Untersuchung von Ragtime-Rhythmen
The present study is based on a selection of 260 pieces of ragtime music ("recorded" on piano rolls and published as sheet music between approximately 1897 and 1917), which were part of the holdings of Trebor Tichenor's private ragtime collection in St. Louis, Missouri.
As titles and subtitles of the music under discussion, such as "Ragtime," "Rag," "Two-Step," "Foxtrot," "Cakewalk," cannot be applied to define the varieties of ragtime music, it becomes evident that only systematic analysis may lead to an exact description of the styles of this music. The most characteristic feature common to all rags, and thus distinguishing ragtime from other popular music of the period, is syncopation. Thus rhythmic analysis becomes the starting point for typological examination. For further discussion the transcription of the rhythmic values of the musical notes into numbers becomes a necessity (semiquaver = 1, quaver = 2, crotchet = 4).
The rhythmic figure of 1-2-1 and its varieties of appearance within a measure (or 4-bar unit and strain respectively) form the "rhythmic elements" (abbreviated as REs) I–VI, which finally are the basis for further typological examinations. When the frequency of these rhythmic patterns within the rags is examined, three major types (and subtypes respectively) appear. In Type 1 and its three subtypes, RE I dominates, in Type 2 and its three subtypes, RE III, IV, V; in Type 3 and its two subtypes, RE VI.
In conclusion the author emphasizes that mere typological results are insufficient if an "understanding" insight in the music is to be obtained. In addition to systematic analyses, historical knowledge and individual features of every single rag have to be taken into consideration in order to fully evaluate the musical qualities of ragtime.