Alan Dudley wrote:

>Is the character of a piece changed if it is transposed? Is this merely a
>tradition carried over from the days when the keys were actually different
>because of the tuning of the instruments used?

On stringed instruments there is more resonance if the key chosen contains
open strings.  The most resonant would be key of C FOR Cello, key of D for
violin.  Even if you are stopping the string an octave above (or several
octaves above the open string) the instrument will resonate in sympathy
(especially if you play in tune:-).  This is also true for minor keys.
That's why some of the pieces with many sharps and flats do sound different
in tone color if they are transposed.  Some people describe that sound as
'darker' and the more resonant sound as 'brighter.'

There is also something called 'scordatura' which means 'false tuning'
...  it is used both in baroque music and in country fiddling, and takes
advantage of the special qualities of the change of pitch and timbre of
the string with different tension.

Mimi Ezust <[log in to unmask]>