Schubert’s Moment Musicale in A flat major has a gently rocking theme, sicilienne-like. Listening to this piece played by Andreas Schiff today, I expected to hear it in A major i.e. on the storey above A flat major. What happened was more complicated than that. I heard it in A flat major, but I was able to hear it A major if I wanted to, reverting to A flat major by a  similar act of will. In my mind there was a translation going on with me able to visualize the notes on the keyboard in either key. Notably this visualization followed what I heard rather than led the changes.

I wonder if the fact that Schubert’s chordal theme has a C at the top of the chord was the reason that the piece began in the correct key for me, despite the overall shifts that are taking place. C is a stronger note in my musical hard-wiring than A flat, in all probability because that note is where I started in piano lessons at the age of five.

The gentle rocking between the keys was a strangely soothing  experience.