View source for Ragtime progression

{{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 (E<sup>7</sup>-A<sup>7</sup>-D<sup>7</sup>-G<sup>7</sup>-C) often appears in the [[bridge (music)|bridge]] of [[jazz standard]]s.<ref>Boyd, Bill (1997). ''Jazz Chord Progressions'', p.56. {{ISBN|0-7935-7038-7}}.</ref> The III<sup>7</sup>-VI<sup>7</sup>-II<sup>7</sup>-V<sup>7</sup> (or V<sup>7</sup>/V/V/V–V<sup>7</sup>/V/V–V<sup>7</sup>/V–V<sup>7</sup>) 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">[[Oswald 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 dominant]]s following the [[circle of fifths]], named for its popularity in the [[ragtime]] genre, despite being much older.<ref>[[Peter van der Merwe (musicologist)|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 [[European classical music|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 (music)|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%| (V<sup>7</sup>/V/V/V)
|width=20%| V<sup>7</sup>/V/V
|width=20%| V<sup>7</sup>/V
|width=20%| V<sup>7</sup>
|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%| (III<sup>7</sup>)
|width=20%| VI<sup>7</sup>
|width=20%| II<sup>7</sup>
|width=20%| V<sup>7</sup>
|width=20%| I
|}

In [[C major]] this is

:{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:350px;" 
|width=20%| (E<sup>7</sup>)
|width=20%| A<sup>7</sup>
|width=20%| D<sup>7</sup>
|width=20%| G<sup>7</sup>
|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–V<sup>7</sup>–I (in C: Am–Dm–G<sup>7</sup>–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 [[I-IV-V-I|IV–V–I]]...in which the V is [[tonicization|tonicized]] and stabilized by means of II with a raised [[third (chord)|third]]."<ref name="Jonas"/>

The progression is an example of [[centripetal harmony]], harmony which leads to the [[tonic (music)|tonic]] and an example of the [[circle progression]], a progression along the [[circle of fourths]]. Though creating or featuring [[chromaticism]], the [[bass note|bass]] (if the [[root (chord)|roots]] of the chords), and often the [[melody]], are [[pentatonic scale|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 chord]]s before the [[dominant seventh chord]]s, creating overlapping temporary [[ii-V-I turnaround|ii–V–I]] relationships<ref>Boyd (1997), p.60.</ref> through ii–V–I [[chord substitution|substitution]]:
:{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:400px;" 
|width=20%| Bm<sup>7</sup>{{pad|0.5em}}E<sup>7</sup>
|width=20%| Em<sup>7</sup>{{pad|0.5em}}A<sup>7</sup>
|width=20%| Am<sup>7</sup>{{pad|0.5em}}D<sup>7</sup>
|width=20%| Dm<sup>7</sup>{{pad|0.5em}}G<sup>7</sup>
|width=20%| C
|}

since Bm<sup>7</sup>–E<sup>7</sup>–A is a ii–V–I progression, as is Em<sup>7</sup>–A<sup>7</sup>–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 [[Joseph E. Howard|Howard]] & [[Ida Emerson|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 song)|Charleston]]" (1923), [[Ray Henderson]]'s "[[Has Anybody Seen My Gal? (song)|Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue]]" (1925),<ref name="Davis"/> [[Reverend Gary Davis|Rev. Gary Davis]]'s "[[Salty Dog Blues|Salty Dog]],"<ref>Grossman, Stefan (1998). ''Rev. Gary Davis/Blues Guitar'', p.71. {{ISBN|978-0-8256-0152-1}}.</ref>  [[Ben Bernie|Bernie]] and [[Maceo Pinkard|Pinkard]]'s "[[Sweet Georgia Brown]]" (1925), the "Cujus animam" (mm.9-18) in [[Gioachino Rossini|Rossini]]'s ''[[Stabat Mater (Rossini)|Stabat Mater]]'', the beginning of [[Franz Liszt|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 (song)|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:Chord progressions]]
[[Category:Ragtime]]