Klarinet Archive - Posting 000648.txt from 2003/03

From: Dan Leeson <leeson0@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Key signatures
Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2003 15:56:38 -0500

Your analysis about why this occurred is quite correct, but it doesn't
get away from the fact that this eminently logical reason affected the
way horns were written for long after the reason was forgotten. In
colleges today, horn writing is taught this way with no reason given.
Composers have gravitated to including the horns in the proper key
signature, but it is still a very iffy thing in orchestral writing today.

Dan

Karl Krelove wrote:
> Wasn't that because they were natural horns and the key was taken care of
> via transposition - if you used the correct horn, it should generally have
> been in C by design (in which case the "empty" key signature would have been
> correct). When we get 20th Century (or more recent) pieces without key
> signatures, it's most of the time because the piece is atonal, polytonal or
> changes tonal center too often to make changing the signature worth the
> (figurative) effort.
>
> Karl Krelove
>
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Dan Leeson [mailto:leeson0@-----.net]
>>Sent: Sunday, March 16, 2003 1:48 PM
>>To: klarinet@-----.org
>>Subject: Re: [kl] Key signatures
>>
>>
>>In the 18th century (and it extends up to today) French horns were
>>written that way; i.e., always in written C major with the accidentals
>>specified.
>>
>>Dan
>>
>>Raycraft wrote:
>>
>>>Our community band is curently playing a piece,
>>>"Sinfonia for Winds", by Frank Erickson, in which
>>>there is never a key signature marked, and everything
>>>is in accidentals. I have to keep reminding myself NOT
>>>to try and remember which key we are in, but just play
>>>whatever is written!
>>>Sue
>>>
>>>From: "Dan Leeson" <leeson0@-----.net>
>>>Subject: Re: [kl] Key signatures
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Let me suggest a weird key signature, by Mozart of all people.
>>>
>>>he writes the clarinet part in the key of written c major and
>>
>>then adds the
>>
>>>>sharps for f and c as the notes occur in the parts.
>>>>Dan
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>--
>>***************************
>>**Dan Leeson **
>>**leeson0@-----.net **
>>***************************
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>

--
***************************
**Dan Leeson **
**leeson0@-----.net **
***************************

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