Ragtime

Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style noted for its syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. It originated in African American communities in the late 19th century and was propelled to popularity in the 1890s to 1910s by composers such as James Scott, Joseph Lamb, and particularly Scott Joplin. Known as the "King of Ragtime", Joplin gained fame through compositions like "Maple Leaf Rag" and "The Entertainer". The style is closely related to marches. Ragtime pieces (often called "rags") usually contain several distinct themes, often arranged in patterns of repeats and reprises. They are typically composed for and performed on the piano, though the genre has been adapted for a variety of instruments and styles. The music was initially distributed primarily through sheet music and piano rolls. Ragtime influenced early jazz, Harlem stride piano, Piedmont blues, and early-20th-century European classical composers such as Erik Satie, Claude Debussy, and Igor Stravinsky. It was overshadowed by jazz in the 1920s, but has since experienced several revivals, notably in the 1970s, when several of Joplin's songs were adapted for the caper film The Sting.