Tusker Posted June 23, 2020 Share Posted June 23, 2020 It's a song I watched recently on youtube but to my chagrin I can't seem to find the clip. It's Don Shirley playing in contrapuntal fashion almost like a two part invention or fugue, but it's a popular song. Would you like to help me discover what it is? Here are some clues from my faulty memory: It sounds like the composer could be Gershwin or Ellington or Porter or somebody similar. Elegant. Its initially a descending line followed by three rising phrases and then a version of the initial descending line a minor third above where it started. If I was to play it in F major and attempt to play it from memory, it would begin in F, modulate to Aflat, then come back to F. I would describe it as follows (| is a bar line) Initial descending line: |a-a-g-f-e-d| (Fmaj7) First rising phrase: |b-d-c#| (Em7, A7) Second rising phrase: |a-e-d| (D7, G7) Third rising phrase: |d-a-g| (Gm7, C7) Version of initial descending line: |c-c-bflat-aflat-g-f| (Aflatmaj7) Of course I may have completely distorted the song, but I am hoping a kind soul would have his or her musical memory jogged by my unmusical hieroglyphics. Thanks in advance for any light you might shed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tusker Posted June 23, 2020 Author Share Posted June 23, 2020 Version of initial descending line: |c-c-bflat-aflat-g-f| (Aflatmaj7) It could also be that the song remains in F instead of modulating to Aflat and what I thought was a transposition was just the melody going up a diatonic third as follows ... Version of initial descending line: |c-c-bflat-a-g-f| (Fmaj7) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bistikas Posted June 23, 2020 Share Posted June 23, 2020 I think you're describing Lullaby Of Birdland, though It would be in Dm, BTW First post, hello everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerrythek Posted June 23, 2020 Share Posted June 23, 2020 I think you're describing Lullaby Of Birdland, though It would be in Dm, BTW First post, hello everyone! Winner!! Welcome to the forums. Jerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerrythek Posted June 23, 2020 Share Posted June 23, 2020 Oh, you would have gotten it - Tusker pretty clearly laid out enough of the melody to make it very clear. Key doesn't matter... especially for you - Mr. "take it through all 12 keys"! I think you're describing Lullaby Of Birdland, though It would be in Dm, BTW First post, hello everyone! Nice job, doubt I could have picked it out...lol. LOB was written by George Shearing and most commonly played a minor third from where you are ,in Ab, but starts on Fm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doerfler Posted June 23, 2020 Share Posted June 23, 2020 Wow 12 years before first post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bistikas Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 Yeah, extreme lurker for sure. Thanks, I think I'll participate more from now on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoken6 Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 Thank you, thank you! I was looking at the OP, and going "I know this: doo-be-doo-be-doo-bap, doop di-doo" singing Lullaby of Birdland but unable to remember the title. Cheers, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tusker Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 Thank you Bistikas. So glad you are here. Thank you everyone for the discussion. It's a funny feeling when you recognize a tune but can't place it. The contrapuntal portion of Don Shirley's rendition begins about one minute in. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. ð [video:youtube] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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