“Why is Autumn Leaves played in the key of E minor?”
That’s the question a reader of my Jazz Pianist’s Guide To The Real Book recently emailed me. (You can read the Autumn Leaves page HERE.) It’s a great question and the fact of the matter is that I don’t really know the answer.
What I do know is this:
Several generations of jazz musicians played Autumn Leaves in the key of G minor (the first chord is Cm). And then, all of a sudden, newer generations began playing it in the key of E minor (the first chord is Am).
What happened to cause this abrupt change? The answer is this: The Real Book happened.
But the “real” question is this: Why did the original compilers of The Real Book put the tune in E minor? All the jazz greats, after all, played it in G minor. Cannonball Adderley’s version, with the famous trumpet solo by Miles Davis, is in G minor. And the older musicians I worked with at the beginning of my career always played it in in G minor as well.
Since the original edition of The Real Book recommended Bill Evans album “Portrait In Jazz” at the bottom of the Autumn Leaves page, I thought that maybe Evans had recorded it in E minor himself. (He did enjoy playing in “sharp” keys.) But no, his version is in G minor too.
So why did The Real Book put it in E minor?
My theory lies in the melody itself. In the “older” key of G minor, the melody’s high note is an F, which is above the comfortable range of most jazz vocalists. (And with female singers, it sounds more operatic than jazzy.). In the “newer” key of E minor, however, the highest note is a more manageable D, which most male and female jazz vocalists can easily sing.
Even though The Real Book was written, for instrumentalists, it may be that one of the Berklee College of Music students was currently playing Autumn Leaves with a jazz vocalist and decided to include that version in The Real Book. To me, that’s the most likely answer.
But… if you have a more accurate or verified theory on why Autumn Leaves is now played in the key of E minor instead of in G minor, please let us know in the comments section below. You’ll be contributing to jazz history!
PS - if you'd like to practice "Autumn Leaves" in the traditional key of G minor, here's a playalong video I made:
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Hey Ron
I love the way you played that walking bass to autumn leaves. It’s an inspiration. My walking bass is pretty lame compared to that. I love autumn leaves and also enjoy listening to the sung version in French by Edith Piaff.
Thanks Mike! Check out the walking bass lessons in my Intro To Jazz course. They’ll get you playing bass lines on tunes like this in a way that’s very do-able.
Thanks for a killer version
Thanks for the kind words, Magnus!
Originally written in the key of G Major (and it’s relative, E Minor), it is usually played in Bb Major (or G Minor). Bennett plays it in original key
I just saw this! Thanks for the info about the original key. I think the sheet music I saw wasn’t the very original version. Much thanks:)
No, sorry, the original key is “D minor. Just listen to the French and original theme by Prevert and Kosma sung by Yves montand… Les feuilles mortes.
Thanks Thierry! I had seen some French sheet music in either Dm or perhaps Cm at some point. I wonder if it was published with the English lyrics in Em somewhere.
It’s still a mystery!
I think the original sheet music for piano was published in Em. At least the copy of sheet music that I bought from eBay, which was published in 1947 and 1950 by Ardmore music and priced at 75 cents, was in the key of Em.
Much thanks Bob – now we’re on the authentic trail!
Was it a piano/vocal arrangement? Or an instrumental version for piano only?
i betcha anything the berklee guys just lifted the changes from the kind of sheet music my grandma used to have in her piano bench, ie ‘100 best known songs,’ etc… that kind of sheet music would randomly transpose things to make it easier for amateur pianists/vocalists to play. back in the 90s when she gave me some of her music books i was semi-bewildered when i tried to play along to recordings using that music.