Origin:

Introduced in the 1959 Broadway musical The Sound of Music.

Style:

Waltz, typically played at a brighter tempo.

Form:

A-A-B-C-D (72 Bars) [16-16-16-16-8]

Arrangements:

It is very common for varying performers to use different arrangements when approaching this piece. 8 bar modal interludes are oftentimes inserted in between each of the 16 bar  sections. While the entirety of the form is sometimes used as the basis for solo sections, it is also very common to simply use a modal vamp revolving around the tonic minor for the entirety of the performance instead.

Key:

Most commonly played in E minor.

Harmony/Overview:

A straight ahead minor blues with a bVI7 - V7 turnaround and a simplistic melody.

Recordings:

This  song has been recorded over 550 times to date and is one of the most widely known jazz standards of all time. It was first introduced in the Broadway musical The Sound of Music in 1959 by Mary Martin and Patricia Neway, and was also featured in the  1965 film adaption which was the top-grossing film of the decade. John Coltrane was one of the first jazz musicians to realize the potential of this composition as a jazz vehicle, and his 1960 recording from the  album My Favorite Things was massively influential in establishing the tune as a standard in the  repertoire. It continues to be performed frequently to this day and has  seen many different interpretations over the years.

JGC Top Picks:

John Coltrane, My Favorite Things, 1960

John McLaughlin, After the Rain, 1994

Eric Alexander, My Favorite Things, 2007