The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-03-14
RAeTIME OLDER THAN MAN.
II Was Venerable before b Invention OF
the Tom-Tom and Hewsag.

'N' '' III -
Call IL what you will. and 'ragtime' IL
as good as any other name" says Thomas
Preston Brooke. This ragtime' existed
centuries before our time. and II will go on
for centuries to come after we have been
forgotten -Ragtime." It's origin. its status
its merits and dement's. and It's chances TOR
perpetuation. have been worrying musicians
with long hair and the public having long
pur ses ever since a popular song writer n few
years ago claimed to have invented us
rhythm.
When a discriminating public for public
effect had jumped upon raRtime and Its popu-
larity with the hoi polioi. some one high
In the musical world came forward in its
defence. saying that some Of the worlds
famous composers had used IL In classic
music. that technically It was syncopation.
and under that name was worthy place in
any composition. Yet still the lonR-haired
musician and his followers are not recon-
cilcd In the Chicago Federation Of Musi-
clans there IL a prospect OF a split In the
organization. leaving the players OF the
classic on the one sidc and the raRtime cham
p!ons on the other. The long-haired men
are refusing 90 associate with the ragtime
men. and the situation Is becoming acute.
In Denver last June the American Federation
OF musicians at it's annual convention passed
a resolution oondemning ragtime and recon-
mending that It's members cease playing II.
In like measure the Dancing Teachers Aeso-
citation Of America and the National Music
Teachers Association are declared against
IL and pledged to discourage the use OF rag
time In every manner possible.
But against all Of this Brooke's Chicago
Marine Band at the Cincinnati geological
gardens last season gave "ragtime con-
certs" every Wednesday evening. and in
spite OF Cincinnati's reputation as n musical
city. these concerts drew from IL. 200 to
rs. 900 people to them every evening. At
these concerts the best elements OF Cincin-
nati's population were there. doubling the
attendances at Wagner and symphony con-
every. other city in the United States and
Canada where Brooke's band has played.
30 per cent. OF the requests for music have
been for the ragtime selections.
Mr.. Brooke's standing as a composer OF
popular music has given him a voice TO be
heard on the subject. Especially Is his
compositions. and that while he does not de-
fsn %,, + he he % peoei. y f5 pla al t time r'S Nrs' j %msis
l.. Blair. a society leader OF 81. Louis. de-
clared in a public address last spring that
and In the following talk the bandmaster
agrees with her as TO all cities being in the
.Raatime. said Mr., Brooke, "ts now the
most generally mooted OF all themes among
musicians, but why such a subject should
s Of Masioi az is Father ddificaitt to under
stand when considered from an intelligent
and unprejudiced standpoint, During the
less articles on ragtime, written by prom
inent musicians. teachers and critics, many
q whom had something to say about who
not discovered or Invented by any one.
Darwin says music was known and under;
Believe that rastlme existed in the lower
animals long before the advent Of man. II
Is simply rhythm. or intensified rhythm. and
| have frequently observed animals keeping
time 20 music having a strong. marked
rhytthm l.. ~. ,,s,s,on m wh,c, MI urs,c
modern ragtime Of its melodies YOU will
have the music that has been in vogue since
music OF many OF the heather races. II Is
plantation darby. and no more inspiring
he patted with his hands. shufned with his
feet, or plunked on his rudely constructed
time performers. The b~ackwoods player
who sat perched Cd a barrel q . corner at a
,,oorn;huskins bee, who held his fiddle at
the 'Arkansaw Traveller and Up Duck Creek
In a style that, would. put to shame many Of
what they are pleased to call 'raetlme'
-Drummers have played nothing but rag
time since the invention OF the drum. The
bass drum Ia now used only TO punotuate or
emphasize the heavy beats or pulse OF the
music. but In the original 'sheepskin band
that has furnished martial music Ior our
bass drummer used a stick ia each hand
and helped out the rastime rhythm OF the
Who has not stood on a curbstone. watch
ing a passing parade, and noticed how YEARLY
the men in line plodded along 70 the nonot.
whom the snare drums broke into their merry
ragtime beats Of 'tat-t tat,a-tat' how the
With a buoya Mt. elastic step! According TO
good authority the sense of rhythm is
march with a strong rhythmic accent. or /
rastime song with Its intensified Rhythm.
appeals sT mOt oit tsaePbs esS 20 asked ssr' 'w Esn do You
aud I always reply that raftime music ia
sion lie to plesse-not TO educate-the masses.
II is not q crime 70 that you
Of harmony. Richard Wagner. was a past
master at Il. II is a well-known fact that
ragtime songs were taken bodily from his
opera av. always delighted in strong con.
il YOU lke-end I invariably fol'ow Tam
haGser" or "Leonore" over-lres wit. some
little street song melody or ragtime march;
II frequently happens that two persons will
st side b. side ~ one OF my concerts, one
a lover OF ,hish-ci"sI, music, the other with
bringing the extremes in close contrast the
grand old overtures seem grander and the
street song sweeter and more enhancing.
WHY should any conductor refuse to play
music which causes so much harmless pleas
uref
"Rastime is not a fad. as many have de-
clared, and 10 will not die out IL plesses
the God given sense OF rhythm and will en-
human veins-as long as the world shall
stand. Call IL what you will-ragtlme is as
good as any other name-it existed CEN
turies before our time and II will 10 on for
centuries TO come after We have been for
gotten.
Lacr 0sse.