Klarinet Archive - Posting 000643.txt from 2002/05

From: "Lacy Schroeder" <LacyS@-----.org>
Subj: RE: [kl] Perfect Pitch
Date: Fri, 24 May 2002 16:11:57 -0400

Mike-

> You say it bothers you when you hear a piece transposed. What if this=20
> had been the key you had heard it in first? Would then the original=20
> version drive you crazy?=20

It bothers me because when you hear something you know to be in a
certain key, you expect to hear it in that key. But when the work is
transposed completely, it's like a sudden jolt to my ears and they tell
my brain, "Whoa! Mayday! Different key!..." It's kind of like ordering a
sweater from a catalog in red and when it arrives in the mail, you open
the box and expect to pull out a red sweater but they sent you the green
one instead. "Hey! That's not the right color (key)! Grrr..."=20

And yes, it depends on which one I hear first. Naturally, one tends to
have a frame of reference from what one knows first. But I usually favor
the original, because more often than not, composers write a piece in a
certain key for its color qualities and sonorities, and sometimes a work
that sounds fabulous in C major sounds out of place (or even downright
terrible) when transposed to A major without any previous bias on the
part of the listener. Besides, the original pretty much always sounds
the best anyway. Try to imagine Beethoven's 5th transposed from C minor
to A minor. The color and character of the entire work would be
completely changed, and most likely not for the better. The 4th movement
would probably be less effective in A major. Frankly, I think Beethoven
would roll over in his grave!=20

Just now I had a conversation with a friend who is an excellent
violinist but does not have perfect pitch (but has good relative pitch),
and he agreed that yes, it bothers him too when he hears a piece
transposed to a different key than the original. And he conferred with
what I just said above about composers writing in specific keys for
specific reasons.=20

>Does the chord progression ii-V-I bother you=20
> because you first heard it in D Major, and whenever a piece=20
> modulates, it drives you nuts? What about a theme and variations=20
> movement with one of the movements in a different key? When you=20
> listen to jazz, do those key changes bother you?

Absolutely not! I wasn't talking about modulations, but about
transcriptions in which an entire piece has been put into another key.
Modulations are part of the compositional process and are a completely
different topic. Besides, I love modulations (it's actually the main
topic I taught for my theory senior assignment). If music was always in
the same key all the time, it would get pretty bland--pretty fast. I
love the variety of key in a sonata form, theme and variations,
fantasia, fugue, etc. My favorite genre is the Romantic era, because of
the chromaticism. It's actually fun to hear developmental sections and
listen to what the composer can do with a motive or subject. One of my
favorite developers is Beethoven! Geez, what that man could do with just
a few notes or even just a rhythmic idea! Wooooo, Lordy!

>But now let me throw=20
> one more question at you which I think you should address, but please=20
> don't be offended: Are these changes of key really harsh to your=20
> ears, or are you just making a fuss beause most other people can't=20
> remember what key they last heard the work in and it you are really=20
> only just frustrated (or maybe even feeling better than they are)=20
> because they can't agree with you that it's "wrong?" (removes devil's=20
> advocate hat, climbs off of soapbox)

In reference to transcriptions, yes, the overall key change irks me in
general. I don't like expecting one thing and hearing another, or
getting a different key just because it's easier to play in but ends up
ruining the whole sound of the piece. To me, that's not worth it. But
you were getting into the aspect of modulation, and that really has
nothing to do with what I said earlier about transcriptions. =20

Sorry to say, I don't think in terms of what other people hear, just in
my own (how could I, unless I crawled inside their ears?). But I don't
feel any better about it, because some people are really irritated by
having an ear that can hear things like that and feel that they're
cursed by it. Plus, I don't necessarily think that it's always good to
have perfect pitch; it just depends on how you look at it. Some people
don't want it and are glad they don't have it! My former double bass
teacher felt this way (yes, I played the bass for several years) and
actually felt sorry for me, but that's how he looks at it. It stinks to
hear church bells in the distance and have your ears grated because the
bells sound flat! I generally don't even talk about it with others.
However, I think everyone is entitled to their opinion on the subject,
and there is no right or wrong when dealing with such a subjective
subject (wow, an alliteration!). And no, I'm not offended by the
question; I thought it was a good one. =20

Lacy

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