Music And Music Analysis: Maple Leaf Rag

1. Maple Leaf Rag

I find this piece very interesting, because it has such a joyful tone. This could further imply that many of the notes used where major chords. If a person where to dance to this song, which is what people of that time did, I would imagine a bouncy motion because of its wave-like contour. This song might reflect a time right after a battle or a struggle in some sort, and their reaction to the times of piece and relief. I also noticed the dissonance chords towards the end of the song, and I found that its syncopated rhythm with base pulse was unsettling knowing that syncopation is the key feature of ragtime. I did hear two unique strains before I heard a trio. During the trio, I really heard the syncopation from the accented

It's because the simple duple meter pulse that is played with a percussion instrument (hammer strikes) was constant and I felt being dragged throughout the song. I feel like the message of this song was to further explain and define who and what a hard-working African American man is in those times, with the line "a man ain't nothin' but a man". That line is essential saying that John Henry is a true man and drastic variations from his characteristics is not seen as a true man. This could reflect on the overall theme of cause and effect in music and in this case, is the lives of black labors being restraint as slaves which effected the songs to be restrained on its creativity. The only thing that these individuals can grasp their identity over is their biological components and gender normative

Aaron used the effect of a complete solid orchestra to convey this story I see inside of the song. It starts off with the innocent feeling that comes with a new day by the piano playing of the strings and soft melody by single instrument. It then continues with wave-like dynamics, illustrating a journey that's being traveled. The tempo then speeds up and slows down into this grand yet rudimentary style from the orchestra. I felt a journey that has obstacles yet found a happy end. This type of music is the first thing I think of when I describe classic American movies, and I see why Aaron is such a quintessential American composer. This piece really exemplifies a musician who is truly an artist from his or her work. From the leitmotivs to the orchestra’s contour making the listener feel like they are floating, John Williams shows that he can paint a situation to the