composer intended.

According to Pauer, the selection of an appropriate key was an

absolute necessity and the secret to the writing of a successful composition.

Pauer was well aware of the attempts from previous centuries to organize the

description of key characteristics into universal list. He stated that such an act was almost

impossible, and the only way that it could be done was to “name the characteristics and

qualities of the keys as we deduce their characteristic expression from universally

admired and accepted masterpieces.”155 Following this statement, Pauer presented a large

list of classical repertoire in keys of C major, C minor, G major and G minor. However,

for other keys, he only gave the affective qualities without presenting any piece, since

“[the] process of enumeration would result in a somewhat lengthy and confusing

catalogue.”156 Here is the list comprised from Pauer’s text.

Table 1: Ernst Pauer’s Analysis of Keys in Certain Compositions.

Keys Works Characteristics

C major Mozart: arias, “Dove sono” A pure, certain and decisive manner, full of
and “Vedrai carino.” innocence, earnestness, deepest religious
Weber: “Chorus of the feeling.
Maidens” from Der Freischütz
Beethoven: Quintet op. 29
Finale of Symphony no.5.
Mendelssohn: air “Oh rest in
the Lord” and “Lauda Sion.”
Haydn: “The Heavens Are
Telling”
C minor Weber: Incantation scene in Expressive of softness, longing, sadness.
Der Freischütz Also of earnestness and a passionate
Schubert’: The Maiden’s intensity. C minor lends itself most
Lament” effectively to the portraiture of the

155 Ibid., 21.

156 Ibid., 22-23.

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Keys Works
Beethoven: first movement of
Symphony in c, and the Funeral
March of Symphony no. 5.
G major Mendessohn: “But the Lord”
from St. Paul.
Mozart: Ottavio’s second air
from Don Giovanni and
Symphony in D major K.[
504], 2nd movement.
Rossini: “Ranz des Vaches”
from Guillaume Tell
Haydn: the first chorus in the
“Spring” from the Seasons.
Beethoven: Piano Concerto
no.4 finale
G minor Mozart’: Symphony [no. 40].
Mendelssohn: “Barcarole” in
the first book of Songs
Without Words”
Spohr: air “Onori militari” in
Jessonda
D major
D minor
A major
A minor
E major
E minor
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Characteristics
supernatural. Soft longing, solemnity and
dignified earnestness.
Favourite key of youth, expresses sincerity
of faith, quiet love, calm meditation, simple
grace, pastoral life and a certain humour and
brightness.
Sometimes sadness, sometimes quiet and
sedate joy, a gentle grace with a slight touch
of dreamy melancholy. Occasionally it rises
to a romantic elevation. It effectively
portrays the sentimental; and when used for
expressing passionate feelings, the
sweetness of its character will deprive the
passion of all harshness.
Majesty, grandeur, and pomp, and adapts
itself well to triumphal processions, festival
marches and pieces in which stateliness is
the prevailing feature.
Expresses a subdued feeling of melancholy,
grief, anxiety, and solemnity.
Full of confidence and hope, radiant with
love and redolent of simple genuine
cheerfulness, excels all the other keys in
portraying sincerity of feeling. Almost every
composer of note has breathed his sincerest
and sweetest thoughts in that favourite key.
Expressive of tender, womanly feeling.
Most effective for exhibiting the quiet
melancholy sentiment of Northern nations.
A minor also expresses sentiments of
devotion mingled with pious resignation.
The brightest and most powerful key,
expresses joy, magnificence, splendour and
the highest brilliancy.
Grief, mournfulness and restlessness of
spirit.
Keys Works Characteristics
B major Seldom used. Expresses in fortissimo
boldness and pride, pianissimo purity and
the most perfect clearness.
B minor Very melancholy, tells of a quiet
expectation and patient hope. It has been
observed that nervous persons will sooner
be affected by that key than by any other
F sharp Brilliant and exceedingly clear.
major
G flat Expresses softness and coupled with
major richness
F sharp Dark, mysterious and spectral key. Full of
minor passion.
C sharp Scarcely ever used.
major
D flat Remarkable for its fullness of tone, and its
major sonorousness and euphony. It is the favorite
key for Notturnos.
A flat Full of feeling, and replete with a dreamy
major expression.
A flat Funeral marches. Full of a sad and almost
minor heart rending expression. Wailing of an
oppressed and sorrowing heart.
E flat Boasts the greatest variety of expression. At
major once serious and solemn, it is the exponent
of courage and determination and gives the
piece a brilliant, firm and dignified
character. It may be designated as eminently
a masculine key.
E flat The darkest, most sombre key of all. Rarely
minor used.
B flat The favourite key of our classical
major composers. Open, frank, clear and bright.
Also the expression of quiet contemplation.
B flat Full of gloomy and sombre feeling, but
minor seldom used.
F major Full of peace and joy, but also expresses
effectively a light, passing regret—a
mournful, but not a deeply sorrowful
feeling. Available for the expression of
religious sentiment.
F minor A harrowing key, full of melancholy. At
times rising into passion.157

157 Ibid., 23-25.

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