Main content

A journey to Joplin's The Entertainer

Sara Mohr-Pietsch is your guide on a journey towards an American ragtime favourite - Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer".

Sara Mohr-Pietsch is your guide on a journey towards an American ragtime favourite - Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer", made even more popular by the 1973 classic movie The Sting.

Along the way, expect connections to the marches of John Philip Sousa, dancing two-steps from Tchaikovsky and Bach, African Juba dances kept alive by slaves in the deep south, American symphonists like Florence Price and other rags from Gershwin and Elena Kats-Chernin.

To listen to this programme (using most smart speakers), just say: "Ask BBC Sounds to play Music Map."

10 days left to listen

1 hour, 29 minutes

Last on

Sun 11 May 2025 13:30
BBC Radio 3

More episodes

Previous

A journey to Sibelius's Finlandia

Next

A journey to Vaughan Williams' Lark Ascending

See all episodes from Music Map

Music Played

  • John Philip Sousa

    The Liberty Bell March

    Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Philip Ellis.
    • Last Night of the Proms.
    • Warner Classics.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Wir eilen mit schwachen, doch emsigen Schritten, BWV 78

    Lyricist: Trad.. Singer: Julianne Baird. Singer: Allan Fast. Ensemble: The Bach Ensemble. Director: Joshua Rifkin.
    • Bach, J.S.: Cantatas Nos. 8, 78 & 99.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..

  • Elizabeth Cotten

    Freight train

    • Kollective Neighbouring Rights Records B.V..

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    The Nutcracker "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy"

    Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle.
    • De Notenkraker.
    • Parlophone UK.

  • Pablo de Sarasate

    Habanera, Op. 26, No. 2

    Performer: Akira Eguchi. Performer: Gil Shaham.
    • Canary Classics.

  • Gustav Schirmer

    Juba Dance (Live at Symphony Hall)

    Composer: Gustav Schirmer. Composer: R. Nathaniel Dett. Composer: R. Nathaniel Dett.
    • At Symphony Hall.
    • Rhino Atlantic.

  • Florence Price

    Symphony No. 1 in E Minor: III. Juba Dance

    Orchestra: Fort Smith Symphony. Conductor: John Jeter.
    • Price: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 4.
    • Naxos.

  • Marvin Hamlisch

    Luther

    • The Sting.
    • Geffen*.

  • Samuel Barber

    Adagio For Strings, Op. 11: 2. Molto adagio

    Ensemble: Emerson String Quartet.
    • Ives: String Quartets Nos. 1 & 2 / Barber: String Quartet.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).

  • Richard Wagner

    Die Walküre, WWV 86B: The Ride of the Valkyries

    Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Georg Solti.
    • Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen (orchestral excerpts).
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..

  • George Gershwin

    Rialto Ripples

    Performer: George Gershwin.
    • The Piano Rolls, Volume Two.
    • Nonesuch.

  • Claude Debussy

    Le petit nègre (L. 114)

    Ensemble: Berliner Saxophon Quartett.
    • A Moment of Music: Debussy.
    • UME - Global Clearing House.

  • Igor Stravinsky

    L'Histoire du Soldat - Suite: Ragtime

    Orchestra: WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne. Conductor: Igor Stravinsky.
    • Stravinsky: The Soldier's Tale Suite & Octet for Wind Instruments.
    • Sony Classical.

  • Elena Kats‐Chernin

    Suburban Rag

    Performer: Sarah Nicolls.
    • Ragtime & Blue.
    • Signum Records.

  • Scott Joplin

    Treemonisha / Act one - No. 1 Overture

    Music Arranger: Gunther Schuller. Orchestra: Houston Grand Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Gunther Schuller.
    • Scott Joplin: Treemonisha.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).

  • Lewis Allan

    Strange Fruit

    Orchestra: Billie Holiday and Her Orchestra.
    • Billie Holiday.
    • Verve Reissues.

  • William Bolcom

    3 Ghost Rags: No. 1, Graceful Ghost Rag

    Performer: Marc-André Hamelin.
    • Bolcom: The Complete Rags.
    • Hyperion.

  • Ethel Smyth

    Der Wald (I. Prologue)

    Choir: BBC Singers. Orchestra: BBC Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: John Andrews.
    • Smyth: Der Wald.
    • Resonus Classics.

  • Maurice Ravel

    Jeux d'eau, M. 30

    Performer: Martha Argerich.
    • Martha Argerich - Debut Recital.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).

  • Scott Joplin

    The Entertainer - A Ragtime Two-Step

    Performer: Joshua Rifkin.
    • Scott Joplin Piano Rags.
    • Nonesuch.

Broadcast

  • Sun 11 May 2025 13:30
    BBC Radio 3