Скачать или смотреть 🎹 Ragtime Piano Performance | Alfred’s Basic Piano Course Book 3 (Page 16)

In this video, I’m playing a Ragtime piece on the piano from page 16 of Book 3 of Alfred’s Basic Piano Course, recorded in my office in Barcelona 🇪🇸.

This piece is a great example of early American Ragtime, a style that emerged at the end of the 19th century and became popular in the early 1900s. Ragtime is characterized by its syncopated right hand melodies combined with a steady left hand accompaniment, often based on stride-style patterns.

🎼 What I’m working on in this piece:

Diminished seventh chords (°7) and their harmonic function

Smooth chord transitions and voice leading

Coordination between syncopation and steady rhythm

Developing independence between both hands

🧠 A bit of theory:
The diminished seventh chord is widely used in Ragtime to create tension and movement. Because of its symmetrical structure, it allows modulation and smooth transitions between keys — a hallmark of classic Ragtime harmony.

📚 About Ragtime:
Ragtime originated in African American communities and is deeply connected to composers like Scott Joplin. It played a crucial role in the development of jazz and modern popular music, bridging classical piano technique and rhythmic innovation.

If you’re studying piano, following Alfred’s Basic Piano Method, or interested in Ragtime piano, I hope this performance helps you understand both the musical style and the theory behind it.

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