Author: skygardener
Date: 2010-01-15 09:25
"I`ve heard it said that to compose a quality piece in C major is degrading."
Schoenberg (the inventor of the 12 tone row) said- "There is still much beautiful music to be composed in C major."
All the answers above are very true. Most composers chose a key for any of the reasons above for different compositions. Look at the Brahms Cello Sonata No.2. The intro theme goes down to the 5th below the tonic. The key is Fminor, so the 5th is the C, which is the lowest note of the Cello. It has a special sound because it is the only note that must be played open without any fingers touching/dampening the vibrations. Clearly Brahms thought about the instrument's sound (not only range) for this piece. For others, he might have thought about some other factor.
Also, there is the issue of key changes. If a composer knows that they want to change keys to a minor third above the first key, they might start at a place so that the second key is also easy to play.
"Also if Liszt`s and Chopin`s music is easier played with the multi flats or sharps then as a pianist (of limited talent) I`m amazed."
Physically, it is much easier. The black ones stick out and that makes the D, G, and A keys harder to play than the B, C, E, and F keys.
In my university class piano courses, the teacher started everyone off with B major scales because, for keyboards, that fits into the hands easiest- the thumb lands on B and E and the notes after are black keys. That's much easier on the hand than C major. Easy reading doesn't always translate to easy playing..
Also, if all the pieces were in the same key, there might not be a huge noticeable difference in how each separate piece sounds, but when you play a full concert, everything will be a bit repetitive. Many performers carefully choose the order of the pieces of a concert and CD based on the keys of the pieces. For example, if I had a piece in C maj, F maj, and G maj. I would probably order them as G, C, and F on the program, so that I have a kind of II-V-I progression over the whole concert and there is a feeling of closure at the end of the program.
Also, here is a complete set of all 32 Beethoven Piano sonatas in one box set. They don't put them in order at all. CD1 Track 1 is Sonata 7. http://www.membran.net/files/11549_220865_lc.htm
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The Clarinet BBoard
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