010 Ragtime, Reversal, and Syncopation
Episode 10 of the Sound Philosophy podcast, hosted by Chadwick Jenkins, titled "010 Ragtime, Reversal, and Syncopation" was published on September 7, 2020 and runs 37 minutes.
September 7, 2020 ·37m · Sound Philosophy
Summary
Starting with the reversals of cultural borrowing or appropriation in the cakewalk, this episode examines ragtime and its various inversions or reversals. I discuss the emergence of ragtime out of the coon song with all of its problematic racial representations, the "problem" of Black music at the turn of the 20th century (and the lack of Black musical representation in the official program of the Columbian Exposition), the efforts of composers such as Scott Joplin to transform ragtime into a quasi-classical form of instrumental music, and the objections voiced by James Weldon Johnson to the "nationalism" of the ragtime craze versus the "racialism" of its origins. The episode concludes with a discussion of syncopation and its eerie corporeality.
Episode Description
Starting with the reversals of cultural borrowing or appropriation in the cakewalk, this episode examines ragtime and its various inversions or reversals. I discuss the emergence of ragtime out of the coon song with all of its problematic racial representations, the "problem" of Black music at the turn of the 20th century (and the lack of Black musical representation in the official program of the Columbian Exposition), the efforts of composers such as Scott Joplin to transform ragtime into a quasi-classical form of instrumental music, and the objections voiced by James Weldon Johnson to the "nationalism" of the ragtime craze versus the "racialism" of its origins. The episode concludes with a discussion of syncopation and its eerie corporeality.
Similar Episodes
Apr 6, 2026 ·31m
Mar 30, 2026 ·21m
Mar 25, 2026 ·57m
Feb 25, 2026 ·49m