The Entertainer Joplin Analysis

Scott Joplin’s, "The Entertainer", is a quintessential example of ragtime piano, a genre of jazz that swept the country around the turn of the century. Perhaps the greatest composer of rag, Joplin incorporates the fundamental characteristics of ragtime his piece, specifically the technique of syncopation, a repeating left hand pattern and a catchy melody. While listening to the recording, the melody of "The Entertainer" caught my ear immediately, seemingly very familiar. Some of you may recognize the catchy tune of the song from the 1973 Oscar winning-film, The Sting, or perhaps from attending a piano recital, which is where I was first exposed to the piece.

The Entertainer, specifically focusing on the beginning to 2:16, contains three different,
distinct sections that repeat. The first six seconds of the song is an introduction that is just four bars long, which introduces the tempo of the song. Following the introduction the melody picks up with a 16 bar section that is repeated twice. Within this section, the listener can hear Joplin build upon the dynamics of the melody. Following this section at the 58-second mark, a new melody begins, still emphasizing a strong left hand pattern. It is played twice, however; the second time this section is played an octave higher. Joplin then returns to the first 16 bar section played after the introduction, playing it only one time. Following the 2:16-mark, a new section begins, differing from the first two. Labeling the sections of "The Entertainer" would result in a structure of Intro AA BB A.

Through his catchy melody and unique techniques in the piece, Joplin helped define ragtime jazz. With the memorable melody combined with the steady, duple background played by the left hand on the piano, "The Entertainer" stands out as one of the defining jazz pieces of the time.