analysis by Pere Soto

containing: - 3 phrases each sequence - 3 rhythmic variations - 13 phrases -14 modulations, 7 each section

Very Early
Bill Evans
Very early is constructed harmonically using the first 5 degrees (first tetrachord) of the chromatic scale; B,C,Db,D,Eb

three sections of 16 bars + 4 extra bars at the end

AAB

m.1,2,3,... = modulations

It seems Bill Evans has purposefully created these constant I- V7- I cycles, perhaps trying to avoid typical II-V-I ? Tonality: starts in C, ends in B - Constant modulations rhythmic motif constructed in mirror: half note-quarter note / quarter note-half note

Section A contains principal tonalities of C and D, beginning of every sequence Section B contains principal tonalities of B and Db, beginning of every sequence

half step down

{
{
{

keeping the tonality of C in each phrase, except *the last note (G going to C) each phrase has the same melodic shaped movement The beginning and the end of the sequence have the same chord changes.

In the section A the note G appears *a* total of 3 times,

* 3 &4

phrase 1 rhythmic motif 1

*
I

phrase 2

n
V7 A7b9
m.2

sequence 1 I ? 3 C^ 4
phrase 3 b

VII7 V7 B7
m.1

E^
whole tone step down

whole tone step down

half tone step down

& ? & ?

b
tritone distance

momentary release point

VII7 B74

I D^

V7 m.3 G7(13)

I C^

Clever idea to create slight variations on the melody at the end of the A section before repeating from the top phrase 4

phrase 5
VI-7 II-7 Fm.5

b
V7 B7b9

sequence 2

m.4

I D^

VI-7
rhythmic variation 1

13

&

phrase 6

b b J b
V7 A7(13)
m.6

A-7

1.

rhythmic variation 2

variation to catch note G

III-7 ? E-7

I D^
tritone distance

m.7

2. variation to catch note Db

V7 G7sus4

whole tone scale

V7 G75
m.7

{
{
{

18

&

B #

phrase 7

n
V7 A79
m.8 rhythmic variation 1

rhythmic variation 3 phrase 8

Very early

b b J

V7 B7(13)
m.9

sequence 3

Melody goes up but returns to end on note E, like in sequence 1

I ? B^9

I D^7

22

&

#
I

phrase 9

I C^ V7 A7
m.11

? B^ b
I D^
phrase 10

V7 G7(13)
m.10

26

& ?

V7 G7(13)
m.12

phrase 11

{
{

I C^7

b
VI7 A7
m.13

30

& ?

phrase 12

n
IIIC^/E

r
V7 G7 I C^

IID-

IV F^

V7 G13

34

&

Because of constant modulation all through the song it seems here that Bill Evans tries to contrast it using a chord sequence that is 100 % of the tonality

II- III? D-7 E-7

IV F^

V7 G7

phrase 13

II-7 II-7 D-7 C-7

m.14

final release point

I major3rd up I I B^7 G^7 B^7 minor 3rd down

half step down