Key change

One of the things I have had to consider after receiving Adam's comments is whether or not I want to transpose my piece to a different key.  Apparently G major and E minor are considered "advanced" key signatures.  These are not typically seen until the high school band level.  Rarely are they seen in middle school band literature.

First of all I had to decide if I wanted to change keys.  This was an easy choice.  One of my goals is for this piece to have a life beyond the premiere.  The primary way in which I can do that is to compose a piece that is marketable.  This means that I will need to do things that are considered common.  I need to think about creating a piece that other bands can play.  While it is nice to consider the strengths and weaknesses of the group for whom you are writing, it is better to look beyond the ensemble.  By choosing to do this I do not think at all that I am compromising my artistic integrity.  Adam did comment that I should feel free to maintain the original key area, if that I what I truly wanted as it could provide a good teaching tool for him.  However, I think that this change will be for the better and it will give the piece a chance for future opportunities.

Now I had to decide to which I was going to transpose Night Sky.  This was not an easy task.  Transposing music to a different key is not as easy as selecting a new key and rewriting the music.  Different keys have different sound qualities and different affects to them.  I had to find the closest match in sound quality and affectation, to my ear, for E minor and G major.  I played some of the primary passages in the typical flat key signatures: F major, B-flat major, D minor, etc.  I found that E-flat major and C minor work the best for the music I have written.

While it would have been preferable to not to have changed keys, I must admit that I do like the new key areas for Night Sky.  Fortunately I feel as if I have not sacrificed anything in making the key change.