by Dave Braham and Edward Harrigan, this piece was published in 1877.
The cakewalk was originally a plantation dance accompanied by banjo
music, generally on Sunday when slaves would dress up in fancy clothes
and prance around to the music. The custom developed when the master
gave a cake to the couple that presented the proudest movements. It then
appeared in the minstrel shows and passed into the variety acts of early
team of Harrigan and Hart presented, in 1877, a musical selection called
"Walking For Dat Cake." It was billed as an "exquisite picture of
Negro life and customs."
rhythms are laced with dotted figures with some use of syncopation.
However, it was the words that seem to be of more importance than the
rhythms at this time, in this song.
song is divided into four sections with the 4th section an
instrumental one before it repeats to a D.C. This piece does not use the
traditional cakewalk rhythm and perhaps should not be called an early
cakewalk, but the title indicates the use of the activity of cakewalking
as a viable article.
lyrics describe individual participating in the cakewalk. There is no
evidence of the traditional cakewalk rhythm but the song contains dotted
rhythms. The lyrics state: "No use, we can't keep still; Oh, please
to stop dat music, a walking for dat cake."
The Cake Walk
Patrol - 1895 - William Krell
patrol is a march using dynamic characteristics of crescendo and
decrescendo. It is in the form of a syncopated march style portraying
inept black soldiers and was staple of the minstrel stage. William Krell,
one of the most popular and successful composers of his day wrote
'Cakewalk patrol' in 1903. It is labeled a two-step. By its use of
united syncopation it pointed the way to ragtime. The cakewalk rhythm is
found in the last section, which after a transition, is repeated to end
the song. This song exhibits the rhythms of ragtime, and qualifies as
one of the earliest, if not the earliest published rag. Cakewalk Patrol
makes extensive use of united syncopation in the early sections.
Rastus On Parade - 1895
- Kerry Mills
on Parade is one of the earliest cakewalk types published. It can be
called an early rag, being published in 1895. These early compositions
were primarily for piano and identified as to the style of music. Brass
Bands were closely associated with early cakewalks and Negro style
music. Its champion was Arthur Pryor, trombonist/arranger for the
Sousa's Band, later leading his own band. Pryor arranged early Negro
music for Sousa. Sousa's Band always played the most popular music of
his day along with his regular classical based programs.
gained some notoriety when it was performed by the Sousa Band. The song
gained additional notoriety when it was used in a poem "The Colored
Band" (1903) by Negro poet Lawrence Dunbar (1872-1906).
Georgia Camp Meeting
- 1897 - Kerry Mills
as a 'two-step, polka or cakewalk' it is in reality a perfect
characteristic cakewalk. Kerry Mills, born in Philadelphia in 1869, was
perhaps the most popular composer of American popular music in his
lifetime, stated: "This march was not intended to be a part of the
religious exercise, but when the young folks got together they felt as
if they needed some amusement. A cakewalk was suggested and held in a
quiet place - hence this music,"
career reflected the changing trends in American popular music in 1895
to 1915 in detail. He was a skillful and prolific composer capable of
writing in any popular idiom. His most lasting composition might be
"Red Wing." Mills compositions were the antecedent of classic
ragtime and they indicate a bridge between the old two-step danced to
Sousa's "Washington Post March and Two-step" and the emerging
styles of black-revived dance called the cakewalk. In Mills' music,
unlike the grotesque 'coon' songs of the era, the Negro is a medicum
of dignity and individuality. His sheet music covers (again unlike the
'coon' song covers of this era), are carefully conceived and
executed designed to emphasize the title, the composer's name and a
distinct 'Negro image' without resorting to a complex apparatus of
symbolism. "Georgia" was the biggest of cakewalk hits and is based
on the Civil War tune "Our Boys Will Shine tonight." In
"Georgia" one can see the influence of the cakewalk ancestor - the
march, and it is band music and not in the keyboard idiom.
Coontown Capers - 1897 - T.
a two-step/cakewalk, "Capers" is march-like but with a syncopated
introduction. The sheet music cover list 15 different instrumental
combinations that could be used. It is one of the earliest cakewalks
using united syncopation throughout, with the traditional use of unison
and cakewalk rhythms in bar 13. One interesting part is the vocal in
section D (the piece is in four sections), with the melody of the vocal
repeated instrumentally to the end of the song. It became commercial
viable to add 'coon' song lyrics to cakewalks as cakewalks were
selling well. A sample of the lyrics: "Coons will be dancing, Gals
will be prancing until the morning bright. Folks will be singing,
shouting and winging, capers in Coontown tonight.
Smoky Mokes - 1899 - Abe
Holzmann (1874-1939) was born in New York City. He was conservatory
trained and was the composer of "Bunch of Blackberries" (1900),
which was popularized internationally by Sousa. "Smoky Mokes" was a
very successful song, and uses united syncopation.
as a cakewalk and two-step we find, in the vocal part, a text that is in
Negro dialect and is an example of the lyrics in what were called
'coon' songs. Lyrics are by W. Murdoch Lind.
are two versions that were published. The vocal copy has a picture of
Edna Collins in the foreground with a caricature of a Negro in the
background. In the instrumental cover there is a picture of four young
Negro lads. The cover reminds us that it can be used as a cakewalk or
two-step. Also given on the left of the picture is a statement:
"published also as a song with humorous darky text." The
cakewalk/ragtime song was primarily an instrumental form.
and Reels - 1899 - D. S. Godfrey
by D. s. Godfrey in 1899, this is a collection of jigs and reels that
have a much earlier origin date than 1899. The origin of the reel has
ancient roots, going back to the old Scandinavian, Scottish and English
countries. The jig origin is in ancient German and Italian dances. The
reel was popular in early America. In it one can see the origin of Negro
dancing as described by Lafcadio Hearn: "The dancers danced a double
quadrille .but warming with the wild spirit of the music, leaps and
shouts, swinging each other off the floor, and keeping time with a
precision that shook the building in time to the music.then the music
changed to an old Virginia Reel.presented the most grotesque spectacle
imaginable.men patted juba and shouted." This type of music and
dancing, was the ancestor of the jazz dance. In two of the group we find
the use of the cakewalk rhythm.
A Coon Band Contest
- 1899 - Arthur Pryor
Pryor wrote this piece for band concert performance. The music
illustrates the link between brass band music and the Negro type music,
i.e. the cakewalk. This piece was re-issued in 1918 unaltered except for
a new, more fashionable descriptive designation "Jazz Fox Trot."
Published in 1899, it is a good example of the cakewalk genre using the
characteristic cakewalk rhythm and syncopation. There is also a very
characteristic trombone part using 'smears' or 'glissandos.'
Hospitality - 1899 - Arthur Pryor
a ragtime/cakewalk, we find the name of "Sousa's Band" following
Pryor's name on the composer's credit. The introduction has an
interesting use of the cakewalk rhythm in unison. It is marked "Marcia
Moderato," again linking the cakewalk music to the march and brass
band. Using both the cakewalk rhythm and the syncopation of ragtime it
is a bridge between the two styles.
A Warmin' Up In
Dixie - 1899 - E. T. Paull
of Paull's sheet music covers were very colorful and help sell the
piece inside. This piece is described as a 'cakewalk, march and
two-step.' Written in 1899, the year that the cakewalk was the most
popular, it uses the cakewalk rhythm and remains one of the best
examples of the cakewalk idiom.
Pickers Rag & Cakewalk - 1899 - William Braun
of the most popular arrangements in New Orleans during its publication,
the song is a great example of the cakewalk and its evolution to
composer, William Braun, was born in New Orleans in 1867. He became a
prominent bandleader in the city and was most famous for his association
with the Rex Carnival Krewe and the Pan-American Life Insurance Company
Band. He was associated with a great number of New Orleans Jazz
musicians such as Nick LaRocca, Emmett Hardy and Eddie Edwards. He died
Pickers" is a charming cakewalk and is fun to play. It could be the
model for all music that was called a cakewalk. A characteristic of
these early cakewalks was the use of the cakewalk rhythm in the 13th
and 14th measure of the first section. It was published by
one of the leading music stores in New Orleans, the Grunewald Music
An Ethiopian Mardi
Gras - 1899 - M. Levi
a 'two-step and cakewalk' this cakewalk contains 6 sections, with
not only a repeat of musical material of D in section F, but an added
obbligato played by the piccolo (which is preceded by a four bar
transition.) Section A (which is in an 8 bar phrase structure-repeated)
is again found in section C. This is a more developed cakewalk which
breaks the traditional structural form.
Alabama Dream - 1899 - G.
in 1899 Alabama Dream is a good example of a cakewalk that is evolving
into what would be called ragtime. New Orleans musicians called the
early jazz they played 'ragtime.' In Chicago it became known as
jazz. "Alabama" contains many figures in the cakewalk rhythm. The
trio uses the cakewalk rhythm - not in the familiar time values of 8ths
and 15ths but as 8ths and quarter notes. Interesting counterpoint is
used in the trio with the cornet using the cakewalk rhythm in small note
values while the clarinet 8th and quarter values. As in many
early published musical arrangements, we find a few mistakes in the
Swipsey - 1900 -
Arthur Marshall/Scott Joplin
early ragtime publications were published for most every musical
combination. As it gained in popularity there began piano
transcriptions. Joplin assisted the young composer Arthur Marshall in
writing this piece which is labeled a cakewalk. The piece is mostly
known as a piano solo but it sounds excellent as an instrumental
The Darkies Drill -
1903 - Agnes Melville
a 'two-step and cakewalk' this piece comes as the fad and popularity
of the cakewalk was fading. We can tell it is later in the development
of the style as it contains harmonies foreign to the home key of C Major
(the trio), has an Ab7th chord). It is somewhat reminiscent of the
'Patrol' style, popular before the turn of the century. It also
contains some tied syncopation (united syncopation), typical of later
cakewalks and rags. Section d contains the same melodic material as
section B, but is preceded by a 4 bar transition, more typical of
ragtime. The dynamics, an important part of a 'patrol' style should
be observed and played with care.
Coon's Birthday - 1903
- Paul Linke
one of the most developed cakewalks, it begins with the traditional ABA
form and then modulates from C to F in the D section (marked trio), with
the melody in the lower part, then repeated with the melody in the
middle part. Section F presents a more harmonic structure - not typical
of cakewalks. This section also contains musical play between the high
parts and the low parts, with brief modulations from D major to F minor.
Counterpoint is explored in the 13th bar of this section and
is developed in Section G, with the melody being stated in the lower
part using an obbligato like figure in the high parts. This cakewalk is
more developed harmonically than the cakewalks of the 1899 era and shows
the cakewalk's progress into becoming a more pianist style and
progressing to classic ragtime. Paul Linke was a European composer and a
ragtime pianist who is said to have played in San Francisco. His
melodism is typical of European composers attempting to write cakewalks
Mr. Blackman - 1904 -
'march and two-step' "Mr. Blackman" is a fully developed
cakewalk. In the 2nd section we find unison and the cakewalk
rhythm I the 13th and 14th measures as was
tradition with any 'authentic' cakewalk. There is an interesting use
of the Scotch Snap (16note followed by a doted 8th). To what
is similar to a musical trio, we find lyrics in the sheet music, the
melody being repeated with new music. Except for the Negro dialect, the
lyrics are not the traditional 'coon' song lyrics and show the
respect Pryor had for this style.
Bethena Waltz - 1905 -
Joplin is known for his many ragtime compositions. We are familiar with
his rag "The entertainer" and his "Maple Leaf Rag." Joplin also
wrote two ragtime operas and other popular forms of the era, including
minstrel songs. Not as well known but called one of his finest is the
innovations Joplin wrote in the "Bethena Waltz." He uses the
cakewalk rhythm in ¾ time that insures the use of syncopation
throughout the piece. Two thirds of all the ragtime compositions of
Joplin use the cakewalk rhythm.
Keep Moving - 1915 -
seemed to be a small cakewalk revival in 1915 with the publication of a
number of cakewalks led by Kerry Mills. The cakewalk had faded around
1903. "Keep Moving," written by William White, uses the cakewalk
rhythm throughout but introduces a dotted rhythm figure, a
characteristic of the maturing ragtime style as well as tied
syncopation, also an element of the ragtime idiom. The tradition of the
use of the cakewalk rhythm in the 13th and 14th
bars of the first section is adhered to. The cover shows a more
realistic view of Negroes in the cakewalk dance.