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Volume 1 Online CD "Liner Notes" The Heroes Ragtime – the music conjures images of silent movie images. Keystone cops, vaudeville, clowns, and the comedy of a more innocent time. In truth, ragtime was not the name given by its inventors, but by a new audience who scarcely understood this radical new music. When ex-slaves gained greater access to the piano, the door was open to an instrument formerly the domain of composers who shaped the world of European classicism. Men like Mozart, Beethoven, and later, Brahms, Liszt and Chopin. To those who first heard this music, the intense contrary rhythms (called syncopation) defied common understanding of how music was to be created. They could only describe the sound as being “ragged” when the notes didn't’t appear to land on the beats they were expecting. A few ragtime composers dreamt about more than making popular music. Their desire was to elevate their race by making a real contribution to music as a creative art form. Soon, however, appeared the unsettling truth that a white majority would only accept this music as quaint “coon songs” from a people and culture they viewed as inferior. Even worse, the joyous innocence of the music played counterpoint to the cruel reality many blacks faced in a post Civil War and pre Civil Rights America. An element of white America stood ready to remind blacks of the social caste they belonged to. A condescending view of black culture was perpetuated in the so-called “opera houses” of growing urban areas throughout Middle America. Predominately white audiences were, especially in the north, fascinated by black culture. Their fascination led to an explosion of musical programs called Minstrel Shows that provided what was, by today’s standards, a bizarre and warped perspective of slavery and black culture.
Additionally, touring drama troupes to Green’s Opera House brought performances like "On The Mississippi,” which advertised the following highlights: a meeting of the Klu Klux Klan, an attempted lynching, and performance by “the pickanninny band”. These programs were ironic blend of anti-Southern sentiment and racial condescension. Towards the close of the 19th century, audiences at Green’s Opera House were among the first to hear early ragtime. When “Louisiana Rag,” the first ever published piece of ragtime appeared in 1897, the resident orchestra at Green’s Opera House performed a rendition of this piece that same year. First featured at Minstrel Shows, ragtime found receptive audiences in Cedar Rapids and the rest of the United States. Ragtime was performed regularly at Green’s Opera house by both local and touring musicians. Though the music came from black America – those performing at Green’s Opera House were invariably white. Their black counterparts were confined to frontier town honky towns, sporting clubs, places polite society avoided. Here, these men were free to experiment and receive praise instead of derision for the art they pursued. If given a choice, most would have preferred music conservatories and concert halls. By 1900, the key players in this new music had begun working to elevate their art. Scott Joplin the acclaimed “King of Ragtime”. His protégé’s: Arthur Marshall and Scott Hayden from Sedalia, Missouri. From New Orleans: Joseph Ferdinand LaMothe, known as “Jelly Roll” Morton. Championing “stride” piano from the East Coast: Eubie Blake and James P. Johnson. Together with publishers willing to risk advancing the careers of black musicians, their music would help build our nation’s popular music culture for the next century. The sheet music they published placed music rooted in black culture on the music stands of white America. Culminating in a marvelous “cross pollination” of musical harmonies and rhythm that would later include Cuban, Hispanic and Caribbean influences. From humble beginnings in the piano parlors of Middle America, this new music played an important role in removing the barriers of race. Elements of Ragtime would continue to evolve into Jazz and be known to the rest of the world simply as “American Music.” PERFORMANCE
NOTES Regarding performance style - I play
the music as I feel it, not always as written. I believe to be historically
accurate, liberties must be taken with the published music score.
Nor do I attempt to replicate performances recorded by the composer
(in the case of those who did record: James P. Johnson, Eubie Blake
and Jelly Roll Morton). Then as now, a pianist had to make his mark
by bringing something unique to his performance. My goal is to provide
unique and highly listenable performances. The list of important contributors to early 20th century popular music in American is far longer than those represented in this volume. Additional volumes will provide a more complete picture. Absent from this album is the arguably dominant vocal music of the era. The "Heyday"
of Ragtime The Maple Leaf Rag (1899) – here performed not so much as Scott Joplin would have it, but perhaps as conceived in a back room “cutting contest” where pianists pitted their skills against one another by trying to perform the hottest version of a popular tune. As rags go, The Maple Leaf Rag is the “gold standard” for the ragtime genre. A huge hit for Scott Joplin, an unusual arrangement (for a man of color) with publisher John Stark meant Scott Joplin actually received royalty payments for each piece of sheet music sold. The proceeds helped him focus exclusively on creating a wealth of new music. Unfortunately, none would equal the commercial success of Maple Leaf. Performance time: 2 minutes 22 seconds. Swipesy Cakewalk (1900)
– composed largely by fellow Sedalia resident Arthur Marshall,
Scott Joplin was given to mentoring and encouraging many young ragtime
composers. Arthur Marshall outlived most all who lived through ragtime’s
“heyday” – long enough to relate a first person
narrative of people and experiences. Swipesy’s rhythmic dance
melodies make this an oft requested tune. Performance time: 2
minutes 56 seconds. Peacherine Rag (1901) – Here, a notable transition in Joplin’s compositional style is revealed - style that seeks to elevate ragtime out of the saloon and into the salon. Peacherine is simple yet elegant. While the trio (third theme) hearkens back to ragtime’s root energy, this contrast interwoven with the other themes makes for an altogether pleasing effect. Performance time: 3 minutes 18 seconds. The Cascades (1904)
– Celebrating the breathtaking water display featured in the
1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, The Cascades is what Joplin regarded
as a "concert rag" reflecting his belief that ragtime as
music was infinitely more important than merely providing background
music for nightlife. The Cascades is a descriptive expression of melody
and and harmony that is a joy to play. Performance time: 3 minutes
15 seconds. Granted, Missouri's neighbor to the
north can't boast the same rich contribution to American music - but
considering our lack of major urban centers, Iowa made some
interesting contributions to popular music. I chose two most noteworthy
compositions. Carbarlick Acid Rag (1903) - Parents must have been aghast when their kids brought this sheet music home from the store. Featuring a cover replete with skull and crossbones and dancing demons, this hit of 1903 may have been the harbinger of "shock music" seventy five years later. Artwork aside, it's a cute little ditty that began as a self published tune by Clarence Wiley of Oskaloosa, and after being purchased by the Jerome H. Remick Company, received national distribution. Performance time: 2minutes 5 seconds. The national interest in ragtime finally began to wane in the late teens. With the introduction of distinct dance styles like the foxtrot, and finally, the first sound recordings of primitive Jazz (Jass) bands - ragtime was eventually edged out of the public spotlight after nearly 30 years of prominance. Selections from the latter years reflect how much the style had matured - from a barroom folk genre to a sophisticated form of American classicism. Magnetic Rag (1914) - Scott Joplin's last rag. Published at his own expense during his downward spiral into the composers agonizing final years. Magnetic Rag is a tour-de-force of Chopinesque melody set against African rythms. Often the adjective "haunting" is given to this and other late period rags that explore minor keys and harmonic voicings. Performance time: 4 minutes 36 seconds. Ragtime Nightingale (1915) -
Joseph Lamb, unlike many composers of the era, was not a professional
pianist needing to work in society's unsavory underbelly to eek out
a living. He was a rather obscure New Jersey businessman who had a
knack of writing incredible Joplin inspired piano rags. As one of
the few white men who managed to capture the feel of what was predominately
a black man's music, he crossed racial barriers to meet and learn
personally from the master, Scott Joplin. Ragtime Nightingale is the
"Moonlight Sonata" of ragtime. Performance time: 4 minutes
22 seconds. Charleston Rag (1917) -
Eubie's piece d' resistance originally recorded as "Sounds
of Africa"on the Emerson label in 1921. The left hand "walking
bass" is recognized today as boogie-woogie - a piano style that
existed long before it became popular in the 1940's. Performance
time: 3 minutes 3 seconds. This project reflects a return to an early love in my life. An interest I had convinced myself had no place in my vocational pursuits. Time has a way of causing us to forget what energizes us. The simple fact is, the entire course of my life was in large part due to my interest in ragtime - more to the point, my interest in the lives of those who created this music. For me the music is merely the fruit of an amazing odyssey of America’s multi-cultural experience. Feeling somewhat trapped in middle class white America, I formed a fascination with ethnicity as a teenager. Coupled with a deep felt passion for justice, and an innate desire to root for the underdog, the story of how African Americans have impacted our culture continues to fascinate me. When I’m not performing “The Heroes of Parlor Town” I work as a full time Associate Pastor at River of Life Ministries in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Central to why I stepped away from piano performance for fifteen years was my belief that ragtime and jazz had no place in exercising my faith. Throughout the history of popular music in America, the curious relationship between sacred and secular music has been a reoccurring theme. Musicians are a notoriously insecure lot, and it is notable that many who labored “in the Devil’s workshop” of popular music were, I believe, deeply hurt by the rejection they felt from the most powerful voice in their own culture, the church. Luther recognized the power of song as he incorporated secular bar songs into what was then the modern hymnal. More recently, Thomas A. Dorsey was rejected by the church for being a blues musician. When he left that lifestyle to devote himself to his new found faith, he was then rejected for trying to introduce blues harmonies into the black gospel worship experience. Thanks to Mr. Dorsey’s perseverance, his song “Precious Lord” is found in hymnals of all denominations and cultures. Instead of repeating the same conclusion of past generations that a music which became popular in life’s most unsavory quarters is inherently “evil”, I prefer to embrace a history I believe is redemptive - a story that speaks to the struggle of artistic genius to gain acceptance and legitimacy. Culture has long honored creativity – so much so our view of God is as Creator. The Heroes of Parlor Town were certainly not gods. They were horribly flawed humans. I can’t help but imagine the personal angst they may have been spared had the church “loved the hell out them” instead of condemning them to the hell of a world that recognized the value of their music while denying the value of their lives. -Brent Watkins The completion of this project would not have been possible without the following: My Wife - her continued support and encouragement to “face my fears” as a performer kept me moving forward. River of Life Ministries – whose
facilities and resources made it possible to record this CD, and whose
leadership allowed me to debut the presentation to a supportive, wonderful
audience in 2004. The Iowa Arts Council – who funded the production costs of the CD. Richard Zimmerman - who made me aware of Iowa native T. Fred Henry's composition "Eatin Chocolates" and made the music available to me. And finally, my children - who asked the simple question a couple of years ago, “Why don’t you play the piano anymore?” |
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A
collection of programs from Green’s Opera House, in Cedar Rapids,
Iowa offers a rare glimpse into popular entertainment of the time.
Minstrel shows made regular appearances. These troupes’ featured
white performers made up as blacks, lampooning black features through
a style of makeup known as “black face”.