The Entertainer - Joplin by Scott Joplin Piano Solo - Digital Sheet Music

SKU: A0.894344

"The Entertainer" is sub-titled "A Rag Time Two Step", which was a form of dance popular until about 1911, and a style which was common among rags written at the time. The piece is a 1902 classic piano rag written by Scott Joplin and it was sold first as sheet music, and in the 1910s as piano rolls that would play on player pianos.The first recording was by blues and ragtime musicians, the Blue Boys in 1928, played on mandolin and guitar.

Its structure is: Intro–AA–BB–A–CC–Intro2–DD.

It is primarily set in the key of C major; however, for the C section (commonly referred to as the 'Trio'), it modulates to the subdominant, F major, then through a transitional passage modulates back to C major for the D section. The B section contains an indication that the melody is to be played an octave higher on the repeat.

In the June 7, 1903, St. Louis Globe-Democrat, contemporary composer Monroe H. Rosenfeld described "The Entertainer" as "the best and most euphonious" of Joplin's compositions to that point. "It is a jingling work of a very original character, embracing various strains of a retentive character which set the foot in spontaneous action and leave an indelible imprint on the tympanum."

Suggested by the rag's dedication to "James Brown and his Mandolin Club", author Rudi Blesh wrote that "some of the melodies recall the pluckings and the fast tremolos of the little steel-stringed plectrum instruments". Stark issued an arrangement of the piece for two mandolins and a guitar.

Wikipedia contributors, "The Entertainer (rag)," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Entertainer_(rag)&oldid=916644407 (accessed September 29, 2019)