[CAUT] Speaking of Chopin...

[Ed Sutton]

Not to mention Irving berlin, who always played in F#, no matter what key he 
was playing in!
ES  ;-)

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Fred Sturm" <fssturm at unm.edu>
To: <caut at ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 11:26 AM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Speaking of Chopin...


> On Jan 14, 2009, at 6:39 AM, Porritt, David wrote:
>
>> In this discussion of key choices made by composers, we have never  yet 
>> entertained the idea that some keys are chosen for the simple  reason 
>> that a particular key falls under the fingers more  comfortably than 
>> others.  Chopin said that he thought beginners  should start playing in 
>> the key of B because it falls under the  hands so much more comfortably 
>> than any other.  On this, I agree  with him.  Take one of his pieces 
>> written in B and try to play it in  B-flat.  It's very awkward.  This had 
>> to have some influence on a  choice of key.
>
> Yes, and to bolster that notion, when teaching piano lessons Chopin 
> taught the B major scale first, because he said it was the most  natural. 
> It falls best under the fingers.
> Note that many of the ragtime composers wrote almost exclusively in  keys 
> with lots of flats or sharps - same reason.
> Regards,
> Fred Sturm
> University of New Mexico
> fssturm at unm.edu
>
>
>