Continuing a stock take of the current status of my key perceptions.

E flat major: a large proportion of the grand music in this key is now in the neighbouring key of E major. What is notable is that in so doing the music has not lost its grandeur. Despite knowing that the music is now ‘in’ 4 sharps, I can still enjoy all that I enjoyed before. Yet I had never thought of E major as a ‘grand’ key before. The skittish light side of E flat major has not shifted as consistently as the grand. Again when it does there is little sense of loss, only a sense of change.

E major: the biggest loss is here. The small semitone shift from E major to F major lobotomises the music. E major is a key of love; a closeness where words are not required; a warmth that comforts deeply. To move the music to F major is a violation. So it is a joy when I find that, for whatever reason it be – mood, actual frequency of a performance or broadcast, – I hear (truly hear as with a soul mate) E major. The shift from E flat major into this key described one paragraph back should provide some compensation for the loss I feel. I should nourish E flat’s new state and make a ‘new’ key for these translocated pieces.

F major: One of the simple solid common keys, F major does not shift much at this stage in my presbyacusis. When it does, interesting things happen as described in my Brahms Requiem post.

F sharp major and G flat major: These two keys have almost completely disappeared. Their complex key signatures of 6 sharps or flats seem to have made them very weak in the context of my tonal perception shift. Something very similar to what happens to E major (see 2 paragraphs back) occurs with these two twin keys. I loved their depth. They are like deep, deep pools that have calm, smooth surfaces. Slightly different aural colours if I know which of the two pools a piece was written in, but in all other ways identical in their serenity and beauty.  So belittling them by moving them up to light, bright G major is a painful shock and a disappointment every time it occurs. I could choose cynical equanimity as a means of coping, but I won’t for now. I will honour the memory of the two keys by not coming to terms with their passing.