Klarinet Archive - Posting 000260.txt from 2003/06

From: "Brash, Alexander" <BrashA@-----.org>
Subj: RE: [kl] Keys and their character
Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2003 10:46:03 -0400

I disagree. While it IS true that we can't say that certain keys have a
definite personality, after all for hundreds of years there was no
standardization of pitch (ie Mozart's A vs Bach's A vs our A), and even
differences in pitch from region to region, Mr. Leeson ignroes the fact that
there are historical precendents for writing in certain keys. When
Mendelsohn, for example, chose to write his f-minor string quartet in
f-minor, just following the death of his sister Fanny, he knew full well the
implications of that key as one of introspection and sadness. Mendelsohn was
fully aware of when Bach CHOSE to write in f minor, when Mozart, and
especially Beethoven in the string quartets, CHOSE to write in f minor. He
was tapping into this history when he wrote his string quartet in f minor,
consciously or not. The fact that these associations may be contrived is
irrelevant, they still exist, and have been built through three hundred
years of history. We have imbued certain keys with certain meanings, it's
just a fact.
Also, talk to anyone with and an extremely trained ear, or someone
with absolute pitch and/or synthesisia. They'll most likely tell you that
the keys have different associations for them.
Also consider the fact that string timbre actually does sound
different across different keys. A and E are "bright" because of the open
strings, which, although not used as much in performance today, were
certainly a much larger part of the performance practice from Bach to
Mendelsohn (combine this with the fact that most string sections in
orchestra played WITHOUT vibrato, in some cases up until Brahms' time), and
keys will indeed sound "brighter" or darker.
So there you go, I hope that's something put forward other than
opinion. And if you disagree, that's just fine, but I'll continue to believe
my nonsense happily.

Alexander Michael Brash
Education Dept, New York Philharmonic
10 Lincoln Center Plaza, 5th Floor

phone (212) 875 - 5735
cell (646) 284 - 0439
email brasha@-----.org

-----Original Message-----
From: Dan Leeson [mailto:leeson0@-----.net]
Subject: [kl] Keys and their character

The idea that each key had its own personality (with A and E being
bright) and D-flat, G-flat being serious (or whatever), is another
romantic assertion that doesn't have a leg to stand on. There has never
been anything put forward (other than opinion) that would allow any
thinking person to believe such nonsense.

It is true that, prior to the days of the tempered scale, keys did have
specific characteristics because untempered tuning produced some weird
situations, particularly with keyboard instruments, but the idea that E
major (for example) is a key that produces brighter music (whatever the
hell that means) than C major is something that was believed and spoken
of in Victorian ballrooms, and had about as much sense as their sex
practices.

It is nothing more than another impossibly silly idea on top of the
10,000 silly ideas we have about music, playing it, composing for it,
and speaking about it, falling into the same category of blow out, dark
sounds, how to find the best piece, and which instrument is inherently
superior.

And for Anne Lenoir waking up in Colorado, I am sorry that my inquiry
about what was so bright about E major caused you morning distress.
--
***************************
**Dan Leeson **
**leeson0@-----.net **
***************************

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