Analyzing I’m Old Fashioned by Mercer and Kern is a great starting point for understanding how composers can make modifications to fundamental chord progression to yield interesting results. system one consists of four chords commonly referred to as a I-vi-ii-V turnaround. Cyclic by nature, it creates a roundabout cadence that temporarily works its way through the relative minor before returning to the tonic chord. Note the use of the tertiary dominant chord on scaled degree sis.
The four chord is used over the tonic to support the melody (Bb) at the beginning of the second system. it resolves to the tonic major seventh chord, then moves towards the relative minor key (D-) via the corresponding ii-V progression E-7b5 – A7. Arriving in D-minor in the next system, we now notice that the composer creates a series of ii-V progressions (D-7 to G7) temporarily borrowed from the key of C major (which is the dominant of F major) before returning to the key of F major in a scalar fashion. in the fifth system, there is a return to a modified treatment of the opening motif which then modulates to the key of A major (note again the use of the ii-V in the fourth measure).
Once in the key of A major, the melody and chords move diatonically up the major scale before using the leading tone to the subdominant of F major to return to the parent key, F. Finally, there is a return to the original melody and a concluding development that utilizes the same rhythmic motives of the opening section of the tune. note that the harmony moves temporarily to the four chord and then cycle back to the tonic chord, even using a pedal C to temporarily suspect the final cadence.
Meanwhile, here is a live performance of “I’m Old Fashioned” performed by Sadao Wantanabe. Ironically, they play t in the key of Ab (as I mentioned in class today).
The ii-V progression displays remarkable versatility. In the second system of I’m Old Fashioned, I was initially confused by the sudden appearance of an A7 chord, but then I realized the E half-diminished chord — a chord belonging to the D aeolian mode — aids the transition to the D-7 in the third system and sets up a ii-V progression. Furthermore, the D-7 in the fourth system also belongs to a ii-V progression, which corresponds to the fifth scale degree and thus paves a path to return to the C7. Although the ii-V progression appears numerously throughout the piece, the different modulations of it provide a fresh listening experience.
I like the pianist’s Mozartesque introduction to the tune.