The Entertainer

Scott Joplin is one of the most famous composers of ragtime music. He is also known as king of ragtime. Born at Texarkana, Texas in 1868. Joplin was an African – American composer. His father played violin and his mother played banjo. He began to play piano when he was seven and often made up songs. By age 14, he was playing the piano in minstrel shows and dance halls.

Ragtime is usually played on the piano and is lighthearted and happy. The rhythm used in ragtime is called syncopation. Some people think of ragtime as an African – American version of the polka.

In 1973, the composition "The Entertainer" was the theme music for the award winning film "The Sting" starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford. Scott Joplin's music won an Academy Award for film score.

The first 4 bars open as the introduction. The tempo of this is not too fast but it must be played at a steady beat. The texture of this piece is homophonic – right hand plays the melody with accompaniment in the left hand. The left hand plays almost entirely using staccatos.

The Key is in C major. The melody starts softly. Section B of the entertainer starts loudly and the rhythm are more syncopated here. This section uses more chords in the left hand composers with section A.

This is a fun, toe – tapping and spirited piece that I playing.