"The traditional march became the dominant form, and the result was a new art form, the Classic rag" (Jasen p. 83). However, if one were to analyze the Entertainer more closely, the tonal harmonies are those that one would hear in classical music, such as in Bach's sonatas, where the subcoordinate harmonies of contemporary music are in play and the first chord is in progression with a second and the second with a third. These cycles create the overall feeling, founding a tone, whereas the melody carries on the direct relationship with the listener. Joplin uses these techniques to create in this piece of music a feeling of overall coordination and wholeness. Yet he does so in a "ragtime" beat that brings the technique up-to-date. This piece of music is timeless because of this, and therefore "classical" (Dahlhaus, p. 25).

In listening to the Entertainer, one is reminded of a tinkling piano bar back in the olden days, perhaps in a Honky-Tonk saloon. Imagine someone is playing the piano while cigar-smoking gents sit around tables playing cards, ladies in puffy sleeved, decolletaged dresses are wandering around chatting and all have drinks in their hands. This...

But the structure and harmonies of Scott Joplin's music make his pieces much more than just "rags." His music has become part of the American Classical scene. What a shame that Scott Joplin did not live to appreciate or benefit by his contribution to the large and varied musical library we now have to choose from when we speak of "Classical Music."
References

Dahlhaus, C. (1979). Richard Wagner's Music Dramas. Trans. Mary Whittall. Cambridge & New York: Cambridge University Press.

Jasen, D.A. And Tichenor, T.J. (1978). Rags and Ragtime: A Musical History. New York, NY: Dover Publications, p. 83.

Stark, J. (1915). "Joplin." Ragtime Review Vol 1 (2), p. 23.

Tichenor, T. (1996). Total Joplin: The Complete Works of Scott Joplin (CD-ROM, collection of scores, sheet music covers, prints and multimedia review of Joplin's life) Sunhawk, 1996.

Waterman, G. (1985). "Joplin's Late Rags: An Analysis" in J.E. Hasse, ed., Ragtime: Its History, Composers, and Music. New York,…