[78-L] Choral key question

[Valerie Langfield]

Keys have individual characteristics - despite equal temperament - and 
sometimes, even if it's being played back at a different pitch,  it's 
possible to tell what key a piece was originally done in, a sort of 
upside down perfect pitch. How big is a file? If you care to email me 
one, I'll be glad to give it a try. No promises! and you may do better 
to take up the other idea that someone came up with. :)

Valerie L.

>Figured you'd respond! I went for the lower option, even though Chicago Deccas
>in my experience play about 4% up. The songs were not well known choir
>favourites but were likely traditional gospel numbers arranged by the group,
>and all but one were in the same key (meaning 3 in A Flat and one in G). As
>follows:
>
>DE 7376A  KING JESUS IS A LISTENING  91243A (3:09) speed flux
>DE 7376B  I'M A PILGRIM  91242A (2:41)
>DE 7452A  GOOD NEWS GOOD NEWS  91240A (2:40)
>DE 7452B  WE WILL SOON BE DONE  91241A (2:46)
>GOODWILL MALE CHORUS (May 1937)
>
>On 12/19/2013 2:10 AM, Valerie Langfield wrote:
>> It could depend on the mood of the piece - it's in a major key, I take
>> it? A flat (and it's A flat major, not G sharp major) is likely to be a
>> more subdued mood; A major is a 'bright', up-beat sort of key. As a
>> pianist, I find A flat easier, even though it's got 4 flats in the key
>> signature (A major has 3 sharps), because black note keys get you right
>> into the keyboard.
>>
>> Can you let us know which one you go for?
>>
>> Valerie Langfield
>>
>> In article<BLU0-SMTP80E9C7BAD22C10B2514402BDC50 at phx.gbl>, David Lennick
>> <dlennick at sympatico.ca>  writes
>>> Got an interesting problem here, a group of 4 sides recorded by 
>>>Decca in 1937,
>>> possibly on portable equipment, of a gospel group with piano 
>>>accompaniment in
>>> Chicago (or by a team from Chicago on remote), and the speed drops
>>> radically on
>>> each side. Around 5 percent. My problem is to figure which key 
>>>they're singing
>>> in! Obviously a good accompanist can play in just about any key, but which
>>> seems more likely, A or A Flat? (Okay, or G Sharp?) To start in A I 
>>>need to go
>>> up close to 7%, and end the side around 2.2% up. A flat sounds a bit more
>>> natural but the sides will end up 4% down at the end. Any thoughts,
>>> choirmasters?

-- 
Dr Valerie Langfield
www.rogerquilter.co.uk
www.boydell.co.uk/51158714.HTM
rcq at minuet.demon.co.uk

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