Klarinet Archive - Posting 001096.txt from 1998/07

From: Lee Hickling <hickling@-----.Net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Mozart's choice of instruments
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1998 01:23:53 -0400

John P. Varineau said

> ........... sadly very few of us (myself included) really respond to the
>different feel of keys these days, unless we are synesthetic -- unless we
>see colors when we hear sound. I really feel that we are missing the
>bulk of the excitement in pre-twentieth century music. ........

Once I would have dismissed such ideas out of hand, but since I've been
working extensively as an accompanist for several years, and having to
transpose to suit singers' range and preferences, I've been struck again
and again by how a change of key changes the effect of a selection.

To me, E major is a bright key, stimulating, exciting. Eb is warm, mellow
and comfortable.

Is this all subjective? Would there be any consensus, or at least, overlap,
if we were to compare our reactions to various keys? It might be
interesting to see.

By the way, I have only experienced synesthesia once, when I was, er, in a
state of altered consciousness. Flat on my back on the living floor I
watched the Beatles' Rubber Soul album, in full color and 3-D.

Lee Hickling <hickling@-----.net>

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