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Ragging It: Getting Ragtime into History (and Some History into Ragtime) H. LORING WHITE iUniverse, Lincoln, NE, 2005 419 pp.
The title of this book summarizes its intent-to draw a connection between ragtime and the historical events and cultural attitudes that prevailed during the period when ragtime dominated popular music. Commonly known as the "Progressive Era," the years preceding World War I were characterized by reform movements, hopes for a better future, and a belief that social problems could be corrected through government action and legislative reform. A spirit of optimism permeated the culture, and ragtime music embodied that spirit. "What ragtime did was to interact with culture and the conditions of human life. It reinforced the outlook and attitudes of society, and it reflected them back into the culture" (2).
White begins by conjecturing as to why so little has been written about ragtime as it relates to its historical period, even though it clearly dominated the musical scene. "Vast numbers of folks heard it at home, on vaudeville stages, in cabarets, dance halls, amusement parks, and in places where sex was sold" (1). Yet, as White observes, even music histories tend to give short shrift to ragtime. "I get a little morose wondering why the purveyors of both high culture (chiefly things European) and entertainment (chiefly things American) have neglected ragtime" (1)....