“The Entertainer” is a ragtime composition written by Scott Joplin in 1902. It was one of Joplin’s most successful and enduring pieces, and it remains a popular tune to this day.
Joplin composed “The Entertainer” while he was living in New York City. The piece was published by John Stillwell Stark, who was a leading publisher of ragtime music. It quickly became a popular tune, and it helped to establish Joplin as a leading figure in the ragtime genre.
“The Entertainer” is a lively and upbeat piece that is characterized by its syncopated rhythms and frequent use of the ragtime shuffle. The piece is typically played on the piano, and it features a number of repeating themes and variations. The most famous section of the piece is the main theme, which is played at the beginning and end of the composition.
In addition to its musical merits, “The Entertainer” is also significant because it was used as the theme for the 1973 film “The Sting,” which won seven Academy Awards. This helped to bring the piece to a wider audience, and it has since become one of Joplin’s most well-known compositions.
Despite its initial popularity, “The Entertainer” was largely forgotten for many years after Joplin’s death in 1917. It was not until the 1970s, when ragtime music experienced a resurgence in popularity, that the piece was rediscovered and re-released. Today, it is considered a classic of ragtime music, and it is often performed by musicians both as a solo piece and as part of a larger ensemble.