Ragtime was important because it was ____________________________.

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Question restatement: Ragtime was important because it was __________.
Option 1: 'the first African American music devoid of sounding identifiable as a result of its ethnicity' This is inaccurate because Ragtime is very much identified with African American musical styles, and its ethnicity shaped its sound and reception rather than being erased.
Option 2: 'the first African American music to be successfully incorporated into minstrelsy' This claim misrepresents Ragtime’s role; while minstrelsy had problematic associations, Ragtime emerged as a distinct piano and ensemble tradition rooted in African American communities, not primarily as a component of minstrelsy.
Option 3: 'the first African American music not to be disparaged as a result of its ethnic roots' This option glosses over the era’s prejudices; Ragtime did face racial prejudice and stereotypes, and saying it wasn’t disparaged would ignore historical context rather than explain Ragtime’s significance.
Option 4: 'the first African American music that looked on paper the way it sounded in performance' This statement captures Ragtime’s crucial feature: its sheet music (written notation) faithfully reflected the syncopated, lively sound heard in performances, bridging oral/aural tradition with published music and enabling wider distribution and recognition.
Why the correct choice is right: Ragtime’s importance lies in its notational representation matching its performative sound. Composers and pianists standardized rhythms (notably syncopation) in printed form, allowing broader audiences to access the music beyond live performances, and it laid groundwork for later American popular music genres.
Why the other options are incorrect: The first option asserts erasure of ethnic identity, which contradicts Ragtime’s clearly identifiable African American roots. The second option incorrectly frames Ragtime as primarily a component of minstrelsy rather than as a distinct African American musical movement with its own publishing and performance practice. The third option claims Ragtime escaped disparagement, which overlooks the racial tensions and stereotypes of the era and the contested reception of Black musical forms. In contrast, the fourth option correctly identifies the hallmark feature: notation matching the performance, highlighting its significance in publication, dissemination, and cultural impact.

MUSIC-15A-40785-F25 40785 Final

Ragtime was important because it was ____________________________.

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