Ragtime progression

{{Short description|Chord progression typical of ragtime}} {{for|the '''I–IV–vii°–iii–vi–ii–V–I''' or '''I–vi–ii–V–I''' chord progression|Circle progression}} {{Image frame|content=<score vorbis="1" lang="lilypond"> { \relative c' { \clef treble \time 4/4 \key c \major <e gis b d>1_\markup { \concat { \translate #'(-3.5 . 0) { "C: III" \raise #1 \small "7" \hspace #5 "VI" \raise #1 \small "7" \hspace #5.5 "II" \raise #1 \small "7" \hspace #5.5 "V" \raise #1 \small "7" \hspace #6 "I" } } } <a, e' g! cis> <d fis a c!> < g, d' f! b> \bar "||" <c e g c> \bar "||" } } </score>|width=370|caption=The ragtime progression (E⁷-A⁷-D⁷-G⁷-C) often appears in the bridge of jazz standards.<ref>Boyd, Bill (1997). ''Jazz Chord Progressions'', p.56. {{ISBN|0-7935-7038-7}}.</ref> The III⁷-VI⁷-II⁷-V⁷ (or V⁷/V/V/V–V⁷/V/V–V⁷/V–V⁷) leads back to C major (I) but is itself indefinite in key.}}[[File:Ragtime progression voice leading.png|thumb|350px|Ragtime progression's origin in voice leading: II itself is the product of a 5–6 replacement over IV in IV–V–I. "Such a replacement originates purely in voice-leading, but" the {{SubSup||3|6}} chord above IV (in C, FAD) is a first-inversion II chord.<ref name="Jonas">Jonas, Oswald (1982) ''Introduction to the Theory of Heinrich Schenker'' (1934: ''Das Wesen des musikalischen Kunstwerks: Eine Einführung in Die Lehre Heinrich Schenkers''), p.116. Trans. John Rothgeb. {{ISBN|0-582-28227-6}}.</ref> {{audio|Ragtime progression voice leading.mid|Play}}]]

The '''ragtime progression'''<ref>Fahey, John (1970). ''Charley Patton'', p.45. London: Studio Vista. Cited in van der Merwe (1989).</ref> is a chord progression characterized by a chain of secondary dominants following the circle of fifths, named for its popularity in the ragtime genre, despite being much older.<ref>van der Merwe, Peter (2005). ''Roots of the Classical'', p.496. {{ISBN|978-0-19-816647-4}}.</ref> Also typical of parlour music, its use originated in classical music and later spread to American folk music.<ref>van der Merwe, Peter (1989). ''Origins of the Popular Style: The Antecedents of Twentieth-Century Popular Music'', p.321. Oxford: Clarendon Press. {{ISBN|0-19-316121-4}}.</ref> Growing, "by a process of gradual accretion. First the dominant chord acquired its own dominant...This then acquired ''its'' dominant, which in turn acquired yet another dominant, giving":<ref name="Roots">Van der Merwe (2005), p.299.</ref>

It can be represented in Roman numeral analysis as<!-- The cited texts all describe "a dominant of a dominant of a dominant of a dominant", the corresponding Roman numeral spelling is as follows: --><ref name="Chain">{{cite web | url=http://www.jazzguitar.be/chord_turnarounds.html | title=Turnarounds: How to Turn One Chord into Four | publisher=jazzguitar.be | work=Music Theory Lesson | accessdate=February 27, 2012 | author=Warnock, Matthew}}</ref><ref name="Levine">{{cite book|title=The jazz theory book|author=Levine, Mark|author-link=Mark Levine (musician)|year=1996|publisher=O'Reilly Media|isbn=1-883217-04-0|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iyNQpJ4oaMcC|accessdate=February 27, 2012}}</ref> :{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:350px;" |width=20%| (V⁷/V/V/V) |width=20%| V⁷/V/V |width=20%| V⁷/V |width=20%| V⁷ |width=20%| I |} or<ref>Averill, Gage (2003). ''Four Parts, No Waiting'', p.162. {{ISBN|978-0-19-511672-4}}.</ref><ref>Weissman, Dick (2005). ''Blues: The Basics'', p.50. {{ISBN|978-0-415-97067-9}}.</ref> :{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:350px;" |width=20%| (III⁷) |width=20%| VI⁷ |width=20%| II⁷ |width=20%| V⁷ |width=20%| I |}

In C major this is

:{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:350px;" |width=20%| (E⁷) |width=20%| A⁷ |width=20%| D⁷ |width=20%| G⁷ |width=20%| C |}

Most commonly found in its four-chord version (including the chord in parentheses). This may be perceived as a, "harder, bouncier sounding progression," than the diatonic vi–ii–V⁷–I (in C: Am–Dm–G⁷–C).<ref name="Scott">Scott, Richard J. (2003). ''Chord Progressions for Songwriters'', p.428. {{ISBN|978-0-595-26384-4}}.</ref><ref name="Davis">Davis, Kenneth (2006). ''The Piano Professor Easy Piano Study'', p.105. {{ISBN|978-1-4303-0334-3}}. Same quote but gives the progression in E instead of C.</ref> {{audio|Standard progression in C.mid|Play}} The three-chord version (II–V–I) is "related to the cadential progression IV–V–I...in which the V is tonicized and stabilized by means of II with a raised third."<ref name="Jonas"/>

The progression is an example of centripetal harmony, harmony which leads to the tonic and an example of the circle progression, a progression along the circle of fourths. Though creating or featuring chromaticism, the bass (if the roots of the chords), and often the melody, are pentatonic.<ref name="Roots"/> (major pentatonic on C: {{nowrap|C, D, E, G, A}}) Contrastingly, Averill argues that the progression was used because of the potential it offered for chromatic pitch areas.<ref>Averill, Gage (2003). ''Four Parts, No Waiting: A Social History of American Barbershop Harmony'', p.162. {{ISBN|978-0-19-511672-4}}.</ref>

Variations include the addition of minor seventh chords before the dominant seventh chords, creating overlapping temporary ii–V–I relationships<ref>Boyd (1997), p.60.</ref> through ii–V–I substitution: :{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:400px;" |width=20%| Bm⁷{{pad|0.5em}}E⁷ |width=20%| Em⁷{{pad|0.5em}}A⁷ |width=20%| Am⁷{{pad|0.5em}}D⁷ |width=20%| Dm⁷{{pad|0.5em}}G⁷ |width=20%| C |}

since Bm⁷–E⁷–A is a ii–V–I progression, as is Em⁷–A⁷–D and so on. {{audio|Ragtime progression in C ii-V-I substitution.mid|Play}}

{{listen|filename=Franz Liszt - Liebestraum, Ab Major.ogg|title=Liebestraum No. 3 in A{{music|b}} major|description=Composer Franz Liszt. Performed by Martha Goldstein on an 1851 Erard piano|format=ogg}} Examples of the use of the ragtime progression include the chorus of Howard & Emerson's "Hello! Ma Baby" (1899), the traditional "Keep On Truckin' Mama," Robert Johnson's "They're Red Hot" (1936), Arlo Guthrie's "Alice's Restaurant" (1967),<ref>Scott (2003), p.429</ref> Bruce Channel's "Hey! Baby" (1962), Gus Cannon' "Walk Right In" (1929), James P. Johnson's "Charleston" (1923), Ray Henderson's "Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue" (1925),<ref name="Davis"/> Rev. Gary Davis's "Salty Dog,"<ref>Grossman, Stefan (1998). ''Rev. Gary Davis/Blues Guitar'', p.71. {{ISBN|978-0-8256-0152-1}}.</ref> Bernie and Pinkard's "Sweet Georgia Brown" (1925), the "Cujus animam" (mm.9-18) in Rossini's ''Stabat Mater'', the beginning of Liszt's ''Liebesträume'' (1850),<ref name="Roots"/> Bob Carleton's "Ja-Da" (1918),<ref>Weissman, Dick (2001). ''Songwriting: The Words, the Music and the Money'', p.59. {{ISBN|9780634011603}}. and Weissman, Dick (1085). ''Basic Chord Progressions: Handy Guide'', p.28. {{ISBN|9780882844008}}.</ref> and Sonny Rollins's "Doxy" (1954).<ref>{{cite book|last1=Fox|first1=Charles|last2=McCarthy|first2=Albert|title=Jazz on record: a critical guide to the first 50 years, 1917-1967|year=1960|publisher=Hanover Books|page=62}}</ref>

==See also== *Diatonic function *Extended dominant *Rhythm changes

==Sources== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== *Averill, Gage (2003). ''Four Parts, No Waiting'', p.&nbsp;32. {{ISBN|978-0-19-511672-4}}.

{{Chord progressions}}

Category:Ragtime Category:Major-key chord progressions