# Classical music that DOES not change its key



## peeyaj (Nov 17, 2010)

I'm tone deaf and a noob. But, I want to know if there are classical works *that does not change its key* on the whole composition. I only knew one, and its a pop song by P!nk, 



.. It's stay on the key of G all the time..

So, anyone can answer me? 

and...

*no key changes = no modulation* ( Am I correct?)

* In atonal music, if there are no central tonality, does it mean, that it has no modulation whatsover, or it change its keys every time..


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## Garlic (May 3, 2013)

How about classical music that doesn't change its note (except between movements)?






Sorry, didn't answer your question.


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## Andreas (Apr 27, 2012)

I think there are pieces by John Coltrane that stay in one key thoughout. I've heard Steve Reich mention this in an interview. Encouraged him to compose works like Music for 18 Musicians that stay in the same key for long stretches.

Also the prelude to Wagner's Rheingold.


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

peeyaj said:


> I'm tone deaf and a noob. But, I want to know if there are classical works *that does not change its key* on the whole composition. I only knew one, and its a pop song by P!nk,
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The vast majority of pop music never changes key. Are you saying that it never changes its harmony at all? If so, there's one famous example in classical: the prelude to Das Rheingold, which is simply one long continuous E-flat harmony.



> * In atonal music, if there are no central tonality, does it mean, that it has no modulation whatsover, or it change its keys every time..


Well, aside from the fact that so-called atonal music does in fact have tonal centers...there is no modulation in the sense of Classical-Romantic movement from key to key, because all keys are readily available.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

Ravel's famous (or notorious) Bolero does not modulate except for a very brief one right before the end .
The prelude to Wagner's Das Rheingold ,first part of the Ring, is entirely in e flat major .


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

superhorn said:


> Ravel's famous (or notorious) Bolero does not modulate except for a very brief one right before the end.


I believe Bolero modulates within the theme itself. Is that incorrect?


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

KenOC said:


> I believe Bolero modulates within the theme itself. Is that incorrect?


If I recall correctly, it has brief tonicizations, but no modulation whatsoever until the second-to-last variation. It stays otherwise in C throughout.


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## HaydnBearstheClock (Jul 6, 2013)

J. Haydn's Symphony no. 49 in F minor, 'La Passione' - each movement is in F minor (although there are some snippets in the major throughout).


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## Guest (Sep 14, 2013)

Mahlerian said:


> The vast majority of pop music never changes key.


Quite right - wouldn't want to upset the punters. However, when it does, it's often quite striking. One song I can call to mind that I think does is _Every Breath You Take_ (The Police). Am I right?


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## spradlig (Jul 25, 2012)

@peeyaj : I'm not really sure what "no modulation" means. This requirement might rule out almost all music. If you allow brief "modulations", there is a huge number of shorter classical works that don't change key - too many to try to list. Someone cited Ravel's _Bolero_ and I think that is a good longer example. There is a modulation near the end of the piece but I don't think it is long enough to be called a real "change of key" (I have not seen the score but I doubt the key signature changes) But the Fugue in C Major from Shostakovich's 24 Preludes and Fugues does not even have any accidentals (all white keys)!


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