With the recent death of the inestimable actor and philanthropist, Paul Newman, my memories and thoughts turned to one of my all-time favorite movies, The Sting. Paul Newman and Robert Redford starred in this 1973 film as two con artists; the plot and 1930's setting were enhanced by Marvin Hamlisch's Academy Award winning orchestrations of the original Scott Joplin rags including "Solace," "Pineapple Rag," "Easy Winners," "Gladiolus Rag," "Rag Time Dance" and "The Entertainer".
This movie served as the impetus for the revival of Joplin's music and the ragtime tradition. Many artists including Dick Hyman, Max Morath and Joshua Rifkin seized the moment to promote this popular American music that flourished from about 1896 to 1918. Ragtime music not only referred to piano music but to dance, instrumental and vocal music. It rose from the African-American community, was noted for its syncopated rhythm and was an antecedent of jazz.
Many musical organization have benefitted from the largesse of Newman's Own Foundation including the Metropolitan Opera, Music and Arts Center for Humanity, Music Mountain Inc., New York City Opera, etc. Diane Wittry, conductor of the Norwalk Symphony, publicly acknowledged his support at Saturday's concert.
As so aptly put by Wednesday's October 1, 2008 Westport News' headline, "He Left His Mark on All He Touched."