There are certain music I believe that most deaf people, especially those born with a hearing loss or lose it early in life, do not even know it exist or even care for it. One of that music is ragtime. I genre of music that I've come to know and enjoy immensely.What is ragtime anyway? According to Scott Joplin, the "King of Ragtime," he aptly described ragtime music as "weird and intoxicating" when played right. Yeah, but that doesn't describe it does it? In ragtime on a piano it is the (melodic) syncopation of the right hand with the accented bass movement of the left hand. Chords do not define ragtime but the syncopated style that makes ragtime music recognizable. Which is why it's called "ragged time." Confused? Ok. The bare bones description. On the piano it combines the left hand bass movements (the "oom-pah oom-pah" feel to it) with the deep bass notes that you can actually feel the vibration. The right hand movements play the syncopated movements that produces the melody with an off-beat sound to it. This is mostly the higher notes which is harder to feel and detect its vibrations. With that combination of sound it gives that particular "weird and intoxicating" flavor of music to it.
It's hard to describe to a deaf person on why ragtime is so enjoyable and pleasing to listen to just as it's hard to describe to a blind person why a particular painting is so wonderful and pleasing to look at. Descriptions can only go so far. Other senses must be used help fill in this gap.
First, if you have a good set of speakers for your computer (or to an even larger, stronger external set of speakers) let's go to John Roache's website where he describes what ragtime is all about and a chance for you to feel (and perhaps hear) what it "sounds" like. John Roache is able to break it down into separate, identifiable music and when combined makes it into a ragtime music. In this case, he uses the familiar tune of "Mary had a little lamb" and turns that into a ragtime example.
All I can say is that as with jazz, stride piano, novelty piano, or even ragtime piano, one has to appreciate the musical qualities behind them in order to truly enjoy these genre periods. I don't expect Deaf people to understand why I enjoy and play ragtime piano except that I find it "weird and intoxicating" whenever I play it. It's a musical art that keeps on giving.
1 comment:
It's wonderful to have a passion for something. I have recently discovered photography after giving up piano. I started to play from the time I was about four when my parents enrolled my brother in lessons. I began playing HIS lessons by ear, so they enrolled me and I played music hours a day until my forties. I also played the flute in high school.
The reason I quit is because I simply have no hearing left to hear any of the high notes. Even with my hearing aids, those notes don't exist, and I found it too frustrating to play, knowing I had hit certain keys and not hearing what I knew I should be hearing. Also, an octave down, I can hear the notes but that all sound flat.
I realize everyone is different, but I felt I was getting more frustrated with playing than enjoyment so I quit.
I can still listen to others play and realize that the flat notes are not really flat. It's just that when I myself play I find it too hard to bear.
I definitely know Rag time, as I was a teenager when the movie the Sting came out. Ragtime made a comeback for a very short time there and I played all the songs form the Sting. But mostly I played classical music. Mozart was a strong favorite of mine and still is. I know how it feels to master a challenging piece and then to add your own expression. There is nothing like it!
It has been hard to find something to replace that gaping hole when I stopped playing music. I played the drum for awhile and enjoyed it but I can't I'm passionate about it.
But lately I am really enjoying Photography. The challenge is different but similar in that you need to study the light and the background where the light will play off, plus composition. Then you can go back and edit to get it just right to add your own spin on reality. Plus it gets me out walking.
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