Re: Why are some songs not written in the key they are in?
Originally Posted by
ralph johansson
But, again, that's not what this thread is about. Devil's Dream is not a song but is a fiddle tune and it is notated here in its actual, traditional, key albeit without key signature.
Exactly. Well, I think it's better to say, instead of "without key signature," "without the correct key signature." A key is indicated, but it is the wrong one, the default key signature of C. Some people here have been getting distracted by tangential considerations, perhaps abetted by interpretations of the OP's somewhat awkwardly-phrased title. The example presented is sheet music of a tune in the key of A but written in the key of C with accidentals to put it in A. It starts and ends on the A note; it employs the A major scale. But the key of A is not indicated as is customary, with three sharps at the left end of the staves. Put it plainly and simply: that is poor notation.
BTW, I do not have a direct answer for the OP's title question, but it may well be phrased thus as a rhetorical device. I don't know how often similar incidences occur and so hesitate to weigh in on a generalization, but will cheerfully (mostly) discuss specific cases.
But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller
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