Echoes of Old New York: The Black-Jewish Musical Connection

Back by popular demand… !
Presented by Saul Lilienstein
Music Historian, Smithsonian Affiliates in D.C., Johns Hopkins University, Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center

Ragtime swept the nation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a moment when two communities, European Jewish immigrants seeking refuge and Black Americans searching for their own cultural sanctuary, intersected. Instinctively, they discovered a music that spoke powerfully to both.

This convergence is reflected in the story of Scott Joplin, the Missouri-born composer who stood at the forefront of the ragtime movement. As a young musician, Joplin studied piano with a Jewish immigrant from Germany and quickly gained early fame. When he later moved to New York, he was embraced by African American musicians and noted Jewish influences woven into their improvisational styles.

In this presentation, Saul Lilienstein will begin with an exploration of Joplin’s story, and then discuss the other musicians who shaped this remarkable fusion, sharing evidence of how these sounds came together to shape a uniquely American music.