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Hi everyone,

I am not very good at modulations, can anyone suggest what keys these pieces are in and subsequently what they modulate to (if they modulate at all)? Thank you in advance

https://www.dropbox.com/s/nlau64p9zx31y1r/Grade%205%202021-2023.pdf?dl=0

The key signature is give ----- so for the first one, it is key of A major. Just double-checking first ----- do you know how to determine key signature from the score sheet?

And you want to do a key change, as in what some music people call 'modulation', right? If so, then check out some techniques called '2-5-1 modulation method' ----- which is a good start. It eventually leads to key changes using four-note chords etc.

typo --- 'given'

SP
I think she is asking if there are key changes within the particular score… not how to modulate between pieces.

Hi

Not good at working out modulations, so this is mainly key info....

1. Schubert - In A major - this modulates in the 2nd section not sure to where though.
2. Large Wave - Key signature indicates C major/A minor but it finishes with a Bb major chord, so I suspect this has modulated. This is not an easy one to interpret.
3. March of... - Key signature indicates C major and it finishes in C major. Whether it modulates I'm not sure.
4. Settle Down - In F major - don't think this modulates but need to play it really.
5. Typhoon - In G minor - unsure about modulation.

Cheers

My take, though others may hear/think differently.

The Schubert starts in A major and moves briefly to C# major at bar 19. By way of an A7 he wheedles his way via a very brief sleight of harmony in D back to the home key of A major.

Large Wave.
At bar 18 this settles into Bb minor but at the beginning rambles on what is close to my ear as a Locrian mode of the Db major scale. Bar 31 onwards is similar to the opening idea but it's a Locrian mode of the scale of Cb major. Finishing on a Bb major chord confounds the senses and further helps to defy a reliable key-name (other than Bb major!).

March of the Roman Legionaries.
Aside from the final chord being a C major, I don't think this piece holds enough harmonic centre anywhere to warrant a specific key name or an identifiable modulation. However, I like the instruction at the beginning of the piece March Tempo, With Sarcasm. Is Tom Gerou a disciple of Satie and his ilk?

Settle Down.
This starts in the key of F and moves to Bb at bar 17 but as a simple jazzy piece it wouldn't be described by musicians at home in that idiom as a key change. It's all in F.

Typhoon
The key sig suggest G minor but the flavour at the outset and at the end is what I think is described as a Spanish gypsy scale in G (C harmonic minor scale starting on the note 'G'). The two-bar opening figure is repeated a couple of times then in C then A and subsequently after a change to 6/8 we could be anywhere, e.g. running briefly and rapidly through a cycle of 4ths at bar 24. I wouldn't say there is an identifiable modulation (change of key) anywhere in the piece.

Hi, thank you so much for your reply - it's for my student who is sitting Grade 5 Trinity Piano and he is doing Musical Knowledge as his choice of extra test, but I usually prepare my students for sight-reading and aural, so I wasn't sure, and I saw on the syllabus they would ask about the key and modulations in the pieces...it seems like the Grade 5 pieces don't have clear modulations though!! I wonder if maybe they won't ask about it, seems rather difficult!

Thank you so much!! You're the best! I really appreciate all the detailed answers It is for my student sitting Grade 5 Trinity Piano exam - usually i prepare the students for Aural and Sight-reading but he wanted to do Musical Knowledge. I haven't prepared a student for that before but I saw on the syllabus that they would ask about Key and Modulations. I am not good at working out musical analysis myself, so thank you so much again, it's super helpful!

Hi Joyce
Hope you don’t mind an OT question. Were you able to resolve the pain in your hands? Hope so!