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Re: A Theory Question

Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2010-01-15 00:24

Each of the answers that have been offered are true for some composers.

There's also the issue of range, which often determines the key of piece written for specific instruments. For example, a melody that a composer is absolutely committed to scoring for violin (or the first violin section of an orchestra) can't go below G3 (the pitch of the violin's lowest string). A melody written high in the cello's range might sound much more intense in one key than in another because of the effect of the extra range on the sound of the A string in a high position. Marches are usually written in band-friendly keys, but when they're transcribed for orchestra, arrangers often transpose them a half-step (usually down) to put the string parts in less awkward keys, especially for school string players who tend to be more comfortable technically in keys with sharps than in keys with flats (Stars and Stripes is easier starting in D major for non-professional string players than starting in E-flat, even though it changes the B-flat clarinets and trumpets from very friendly F major to E major).

Vocalists often move a piece up or down a half-step to suit their voices, and composers will often put a vocal piece in a key that is best suited to the range of the voice for whom the piece is written. Even so, some sopranos have their natural break between A and B-flat and some between B-flat and B, so they transpose up or down a half step to avoid the note immediately below their personal break.

Karl

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A Theory Question new

Rusty

2010-01-14 21:59