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6.11.5 "September Song" Chords (Kurt Weill, Composer)
In his poignant, brilliant “September Song,” Kurt Weill uses many chords, 12 in all, of which two are chromatic chords (Figure 95).
In this example (key of C major), he also uses four variants of the tonic: C, CM7, Cm, and Cm6.
By using two minor-chord variants of the tonic (Cm6 and Cm), “September Song” flirts with modulation to the parallel key of C minor. The wistful, sad lyric matches the harmonic progression perfectly.
One of the two chromatic chords may be found in the 8-bar verse, near the beginning of the song. This harmonic direction has the potential to threaten tonality.
However, the progression then quickly moves to a V7 – I perfect cadence (G7 – C), ensuring the ear knows the true harmonic centre, despite the presence of the chromatic chord (A♭).
FIGURE 95: Chord Map of “September Song” (Words by Maxwell Anderson, Music by Kurt Weill, 1938)