Free Jazz Standard Sheet Music Downloads

"Isn't It Romantic" was composed by Richard Rodgers in 1932 for the Paramount film Love Me Tonight, starring Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald. The song is part of the celebrated Rodgers and Hart catalog and has been praised by songwriter Alec Wilder as "a perfect song."

The tune is a 32-bar form in ABAC structure, commonly played in the key of E-flat major. Rodgers' melody is graceful and flowing, with a waltz-like elegance that lends itself beautifully to jazz interpretation. The A sections feature a lyrical descending line, while the contrasting C section provides dramatic closure. The harmonic language is primarily diatonic with tasteful II-V motion, making it accessible yet rewarding for improvisers. The song is performed at tempos ranging from slow ballad to medium swing.

Ella Fitzgerald's definitive vocal rendition on Sings the Rodgers and Hart Songbook (1956) remains the gold standard. Among instrumentalists, pianist Bill Charlap has championed the Rodgers and Hart repertoire with particular distinction. Chet Baker's quartet recordings from the 1950s also offer warmly lyrical interpretations of this timeless standard.