Alan writes:

>Is the character of a piece changed if it is transposed?

Yes, it does.  But the change will only be noticed if the piece is
transposed within at least five minutes.  (For people without perfect
pitch) Listen to the 3rd movement of Beethoven's Emporer Concerto.
Listen to R&B music when the singer modulates from Bb to C and so forth.
When Deborah Cox (R&B singer) modulates from Db to D major, it feels like
something is being revealed, and the song tends to get more dramatic.  A
minor key sounds serious, but when the musician modulates from a minor key
to a major key, it feels like sunshine coming out after the rain.  The
difference is in the 3rd.  A major 3rd is really bright and yellow, while
a minor 3rd is serious and dark.  Just listen and try to develop your
relative pitch skills.  (Also, read my post on Historical Tunings)

Jeremey