The Entertainer

When I think of the musical piece "The Entertainer" written in 1902 by Scott Joplin I think of a whimsical tune that also make me want to tap my foot. But when one looks and/or listens to the musical piece it is really much more than just a whimsical tune. There is much history behind the composer and the song itself.

Scott Joplin is considered to be America's first black composer and the king of ragtime even though he personally did not invent ragtime. His exact date of birth is unsure but documents point between June 1867 and January 1868 and he died on April 1, 1917. Scott Joplin, a ragtime music composer, is known as one of the best, in addition he is also regarded as one of the most important composers of classic ragtime. Joplin musical style initiated the popular expression of piano ragtime which flourished along the Mississippi river in the late Nineteenth Century (Berlin, 1998).

Joplin piano works also influenced other great composers such as Claude Debussy. Scott Joplin is also seen as an innovator in the development of piano Jazz. Joplin worked in numerous music related jobs including being a member of the Texarkana Musical Company, performing in the Texas Medley Quartette and played piano in various clubs in Sedalia Texas. The first piece that was ever published by Joplin was "Original Rags" then his second was "The Maple Leaf Rag" in 1899 which is one of the most renowned piano rags. Then after he married his wife Belle in 1901, Joplin published one of his most famous works "The Entertainer" (Berlin, 1998).

Even many years after Joplin's death his gained national attention in 1976 he was awarded the special Pulitzer Prize in music. Then in 1983 the United States Postal Service issued a stamp commemorating Joplin during there Black Heritage series (Schmidt-Jones, 2005).

Joplin's well known musical piece "The Entertainer" is an example of classical ragtime music. "The Entertainer" has a very strong rhythm; the beat within the accompaniment keeps the listener tuned into the music, and is also one of the most important elements. Ragtime music is also known to jazz up typical rhythms.