Published:
2023-11-08
Updated:
2023-11-08

Learning Ukulele with Curt

Anniversary Song

Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: "Anniversary Song".

Author(s): Curt Sheller Publisher: Curt Sheller Publications Code: ULHA-YB-290

Main Category: Harmonic-Analysis Main Instrument: Any

Subjects: Chords

2023-11-08

Anniversary Song

Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: "Anniversary Song".

Anniversary Song

Anniversary Song Waves of the Danube (Romanian: Valurile Dunării) is a waltz composed by Iosif Ivanovici in 1880, and is one of the most famous Romanian tunes in the world. The song has many variations throughout the piece, reminiscent of the music of Johann Strauss. Through the Viennese style variations, there is still a distinct Slavic style. In the United States, it is frequently referred to as "The Anniversary Song", a title given by Al Jolson when he and Saul Chaplin released an adaptation of the song in 1946.

"Waves of the Danube" was first published in Bucharest in 1880. It was dedicated to Emma Gebauer, the wife of music publisher Constantin Gebauer. Composer Émile Waldteufel made an orchestration of the piece in 1886, which was performed for the first time at the 1889 Paris Exposition, and took the audience by storm.[2] It won the march prize to mark the exhibition out of 116 entries. wikiwand

Anniversary Song is in the The Daily Ukulele 365 Songs for Better Living book.

Strum a different song every day with easy arrangements of 365 of your favorite songs in one big songbook! The Daily Ukulele features ukulele arrangements with melody, lyrics and uke chord grids and are in ukulele-friendly keys that are particularly suited for groups of one to one hundred to play and sing.

Ukulele Chords

A7 Dm Gm C7 F

These and many other chords are covered in the Learn A Chord A Day series of lessons.

C Tuning Chords

In the Daily Ukulele series of book the chords are actually listing in their order of appearance. And, are always the basic open position chords when possible.

Starting Melody Note and 1st Interval

  • Anniversary Song is in 3/4, Common Time and the Key of Dm .
  • Start on Root ↑ M3.

Intervals Legend: Root=note that begins a scale of the starting key; C is C, D is D, Am is A, Em is E, etc… m=minor; M=Major; P=Perfect; D=Diminished; A=Augmented. • is up/ascending; is down/descending;

Harmonic Analysis (HA) Worksheet

Visit the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection series of lessons for information on creating your own Harmonic Analysis Worksheet

A7
A7
A7
A7
Dm
Dm
Dm
Dm
V
I
Gm
Gm
Dm
Dm
A7
A7
Dm
Dm
IV
I
V
I
A7
A7
A7
A7
Dm
Dm
Dm
Dm
V
I

Fine

Gm
Gm
Dm
Dm
A7
A7
Dm
Dm
IV
I
V
I

Lines 3 and 4 are the same as LInes 1 and 2. If this is a simple chord leadsheet and no lyrics as in the Daily Ukulele book, a repeat would be better.

Internal Modulation: F
Gm
C7
F
F
Gm
C7
F
F
II
V
I
II
V
I

D.C. al Fine

A7
A7
Dm
Dm
Gm
Dm
/
A7
Dm
Dm :||
V
I
IV
I
V
I

The Roadmap is not super clear in the Daily Ukulele book as to whether the repeat is necessary on this last line when there is a D.C. al Fine instruction.

The Harmonic Analysis (HA)

A Harmonic Analysis (RMA/HA) and its worksheet are intended to show the function of the chords, the harmonic principles used, the keys and tonalities the song explores. And, can be used for scale selections and chord and scale substitutions.

NOTE: A Harmonic Analysis Worksheet is NOT intended to be a lead leadsheet. Minimal roadmap information such as repeats, fine, D.S., D.C., and codas has been used in preparing the worksheets to somewhat mirror the leadsheet in the Daily Ukulele book.

Sections, Verse, Chorus, 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks …

The worksheets will show 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks, etc. as indicated in the Yellow Book. You should start to recognize that 1st endings typically always return to a previous verse or an section. With a 2nd ending, a transition to a different part of the song, a or chorus. Harmonic Principles are used for these repeats and transitions.

If turnback chords are not indicated for these 1st and 2nd endings in the original Yellow Book leadsheet, recommended chord(s) will be indicated in parentheses or as an alternate harmony in Red . Typically the last measures or turnbacks will be a chord that resolves to and harmonically leads you to the next section or turning you back to the same section. Typically a V or direct substitution of that next chord.

Reference Key

This is the key of the source leadsheet.

  • Anniversary Song is in 3/4, Common Time and the Key of Dm .

Harmonic Principles Used:

These are the harmonic principles used in Anniversary Song.

Nashville Number System (NNS)

Nashville Numbering System always uses four bars/measures per line, no bar lines, and default is each number of the number of beats per bar/measure based on the time signature. If multiple chords in same bar then they are underlined. It can be as simple as converting the Roman Numerals above to Arabic numbers.

At its simplest you simply replace the roman numbers with Arabic numbers. e.g., I becomes 1 , II becomes 2 , etc. The only exception is the bVII7 chord becomes 7 as this borrowed chord from the Mixolydian tonality is so common and the VII (half-diminished seventh) in a major chord is so rare (actually never). And, you could go as far as saying all the modes are numbered: I II III IV V VI VII — just as in the major scale. So calling it a 7 is not that far out.

Check the definitive book Nashville Number System

Scale Selection

Once a Harmonic Analysis has been completed, scale selections can be made. These scale selections can be either vertical or horizontal choices. And, really, only needed if you are going to take a solo or embellish the melody with added notes.

Scale Abbreviation Legend

Traditional Scales: Maj: Major (Ionian), Nat Min: Natural Minor, Dim: Diminished, WT: Whole Tone, Har Min: Harmonic Minor

Contemporary Scales: Minor Pent: Minor Pentatonic, Pent: Major Pentatonic, Blues

Scale/Mode Names: Ion: Ionian (Major), Dor: Dorian (Minor), Phrygian: Phrygian, Lyd: Lydian, Mix: Mixolydian (Dominant), Aeol: Aeolian (Natural Minor), Loc: Locrian

Altered Scales: Mix+4: Mixolydian Plus 4 / Lydian Dominant, Mix-2-6: Mixolydian flat 2, flat 6

Checkout the Lesson Series: Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection or download the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection book. And the QuickStart Series of Scale and Arpeggio books.

RMA book cover QS1UKES book cover

Performance Notes

You can pretty much get away with using the F Major scale: F G A Bb C D E F for both the Dm and F major sections, the whole song. That with addressing the chord tones and using your ear.

Links & Resources