Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Teachers Forum Transposing Question

I am trying to "combine" two modified versions of Gershwin's Raphsody. The easier one (in the key of F) is great and impressive sounding, but the more difficult one (in the key of C) has a few extra sections I would like to add to the easier one. How do I transpose from the key of C to F? I should add that the more difficult version goes way up into the high register, and on my old Lyon and Healy Grand, it doesn't sound good. So I would like to keep everything two octaves above and below middle C. (Sorry, George.) Also, in the difficult version, there is a great three octave glissando that begins on the G below middle C and ends on B, two octaves above middle C. On what note would I begin this glissando on the version in F? Boy, after reading this, it sounds so complicated. I hope someone out there can make sense of it and provide assistance. Many thanks. I LOVE this forum.

Well, it's simple (HA!!!). Just raise everything from the C version a major fourth, and you'll be in F!! Yep, easier said than done. So, your gliss that starts on G (in C) will now start on C (in F), and, instead of ending on B (in C) will now end on E (in F). It'll probably sound just a little wonky, though, since you'll be playing B naturals instead of B flats (in F major). Maybe noticable, maybe not.

I'm not familiar with these pieces, but
I'm not sure you can do this. Since
the C version is more difficult, this would
seem to mean that it is, in effect, a
new composition and not just a
straight transposition of the F
version into the key of C (that is,
every note of the F version just raised
by an interval of a perfect 5th).

You could transpose any section of the C
version into the key of F by lowering every
note by the interval of a perf. 5th, but
I'm not sure this would then mesh with
the "adjoining" section in the F version.
And you wouldn't be able to transpose
the glissando in the C version, because
a glissando is always all white
keys, and when you try to transpose each
note down a P5, one of the transposed notes
will be a black key (F transposed down a
P5 is Bb).

Yikes, once I reread and reread and reread your relies, it all might sink in. In any case, I'll give it a try. If nothing else, will simply insert the sections I like in the C version into the F version and(being that the piece is a little quirky and discordant), it could work. Thanks for taking the time to go into such detail. As I have always believed, and you have just confirmed, musicians are pretty smart, and, what's even better, they are so willing to share their knowledge with those of us who are less fortunate - brain-wise.