New York, New York - original key changes

[Jonah]

Recently we played this tune with a friend (pianist).
I knew the song of course, and I knew original version because I have seen the movie a few times (and I love it).

And tbh I always preferred Liza Minelli movie version with its delicate sophisticated subtle arrangement and meaningful and very precise phrasing and intonation of Liza... it always sounded to me like a story and her performance like a real acting, a character...
And much more well-known Sinatra version seems more like a standard pop stuff to me.

But this is not about it...

When we listned to the records before playing - my friend picked it up from the record first and said - interesting key changes...

Sinatra's version is in D major and when it comes to the instrumental section it modulates to Eb, typical pop-thing half/one step up/down... I call it 'modulation for the poor'. And it ends in Eb major

And original version begins in Db then in the same place it modulates to B major (using the same melodic move) and then when it slows down it modulates to C major.

I really love the idea. The whole song is like a tonality appogiatura. As if it is actually in C major but tries to avoid it almost until the end.
I wonder how they came up with that - the key of B major is really not that typical.
And it is also whole step dpwn, and then half step up.
But the way it is made in the song, and the fact that the final key is fundamental C major makes it much more interesting really.
Maybe they got they idea and then chose C major as the final key and transposed other sections respectivelu.

And probablly it is not that easy to notice if you do not have absolute pitch, I mean you hear the modulation of course but you do not notice the idea with the key until you really dig into it.

[mr. beaumont]

What's the original version, I'd like to check it out.

Modulations in arranging are fascinating. Music, even pop music, can be remarkably intelligent.

[Jonah]

What's the original version, I'd like to check it out.

Modulations in arranging are fascinating. Music, even pop music, can be remarkably intelligent.

I think this one. As much as I know the song was written specially for the movie

[Vladan]

Can't be constructive in musical issues. All that comes to my mind is that half steps can work as subs for dominants. Everything's just V-I in disguise, where V-I is just I in disguise.

What I really wanted to say, until recently, like couple of months, or years, who can tell at my age, I was under impression that the song is some oldie standard. Then I got into "pretend that I know stuff" mood with my wife, BSing about the song Sinatra, Mineli ... then I realized that I really have no idea about what the original was. So, I checked Wiki and, voila, ... the song was made for the movie ...

Edited ...

Sorry for trolling.