RAGTIME

Ragtime is a vibrant, syncopated musical style that took the world by storm at the turn of the 20th century. Created by Black American composers, ragtime blended African rhythms with European musical traditions to produce a bold, joyful sound that together with the blues, laid the groundwork for jazz and American popular music.

This installation of objects from the Guinness Collection highlights the cultural and artistic legacy of ragtime through rare original sheet music and three remarkable mechanical instruments: the Wurlitzer Automatic Harp, Style A, the Regina Hexaphone, and the Seeburg Style L Coin Piano.

Curated by Bryant Small in conversation with Susan C. Cook, Ph.D., Hilldale Professor of Musicology, Emerit, Mead Witter School of Music, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Leadership support for this exhibition is provided by Will and Mary Leland.

Artwork caption: Regina Hexaphone, c. 1917. The Regina Music Box Company, Rahway, New Jersey. 49 x 26 1/4 x 18 inches. Murtogh D. Guinness Collection, 2003.18.82a-c. Photo: Jere Ryder.