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Autumn Leaves Pitch Class Analysis

  • Writer: ppittman2010
    ppittman2010
  • Feb 21, 2024
  • 2 min read

Updated: Feb 27, 2024

We will do a Pitch Class Analysis of Autumn Leaves including the first and second verse and the bridge. For an over of Pitch Class Set Theory see my post here. Autumn Leaves was a French song composed by Joseph Kosma in 1945. It was adapted to English lyrics by Johnny Mercer.


The first verse when you do pitch class analysis (no duplicates) includes the following notes when analyzed in the key of B minor. C#, D, E, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B.



The integers when set to C as zero are in ascending order [1,2,4,6,7,8,9,10,11]. When you do the pitch class analysis the normal order is [6,7,8,9,10,11,1,2,4]. The prime form is (01234578T). This relates to a Forte number of 9-7. So interesting enough this verse is the Nonatomic Blues Scale and has a minor and major 3rd and 5th and flatted 7th. Here is the analysis:



 

The Second verse when you do pitch class analysis (no duplicates) include the following notes when analyzed in the key of B minor. C#, D, E, F#, G, A, B.



The integers when set to C as zero are in ascending order [1,2,4,6,7,9,11]. When you do the pitch class analysis the normal order is [6,7,9,11,1,2]. The prime form is (013568T). This relates to a Forte number of 7-35. This verse is the Major, Minor, and Diminished musical modes including Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, & Locrian. Here is the analysis:



 

The Bridge when you do pitch class analysis (no duplicates) include the following notes when analyzed in the key of B minor. C#, D, E, F#, G, A#, A, B.



The integers when set to C as zero are in ascending order [1,2,4,6,7,9,10,11]. When you do the pitch class analysis the normal order is [9,10,11,1,2,4,6,7]. The prime form is (0124579T). This relates to a Forte number of 9-26. This verse is the major bebop scale, which includes a flatted 6th. Here is the analysis:









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© 2024 by Paul Pittman.

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