Main content

Truck Driver Modulation

Tom Service on the art of the sudden key change - whether it's Bruckner, Bon Jovi, Mahler or Michael Jackson. Today we ramp up the emotional impact with a blatant change of key.

Today on The Listening Service Tom gets into gear for the truck driver modulation - crunching from one key to another, and not worrying overly about the musical synchromesh.

There's not too much attention paid to the proper rules of harmony in today's programme, which celebrates the emotional and dramatic impact of the well-placed sudden key change. From Bruckner to Bon Jovi, Mahler to Michael Jackson, and less alliteratively, from Schubert to Bill Withers via Barry Manilow, we may love to hate this technique, but join Tom as he stands up for the key change (like Westlife).

With Dr. Dai Griffiths, Senior Lecturer in Music at Oxford Brookes University, and novelist Elizabeth Day.

Available now

30 minutes

Last on

Sun 24 Jun 2018 17:00
主播大秀 Radio 3

More episodes

Previous

Igor Stravinsky: Understood Best by Children and Animals

Next

The Fifth

See all episodes from The Listening Service

Clip

Music Played

  • Maurice Ravel

    Bolero for orchestra

    Conductor: Pierre Boulez. Performer: Berliner Philharmoniker.
    • DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON.
    • 439-859-2.

  • Dolly Parton

    I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU

    Performer: Whitney Houston.
    • ARTISTA.
    • 74321-12065-2.

  • Michael Jackson

    MAN IN THE MIRROR

    Performer: Michael Jackson.
    • EPIC.
    • 5044-232.

  • The Temptations

    My Girl

    • MOTOWN.
    • 530-5622.

  • Westlife

    Shadows

    • RCA.
    • 0-0.

  • Mel Brooks

    HABEN SIE GEHORT DAS DEUTSCHE BAND? (THE PRODUCERS)

    Performer: Brad Oscar.
    • SONY CLASSICAL.
    • SK-89646.

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Symphony no. 8 in F major Op.93

    Conductor: Charles Mackerras. Performer: Scottish Chamber Orchestra.
    • HYPERION.
    • CDS 443015.

  • Richard Wagner

    Das Rheingold [Part 1 of 'Der Ring des Nibelungen']

    Conductor: Reginald Goodall. Performer: The English National Opera Orchestra.
    • CHANDOS.
    • CHAN-3143.

  • Richard Wagner

    Gotterdammerung [Part 4 of 'Der Ring des Nibelungen']

    Conductor: Bernard Haitink. Performer: Bavarian S O.
    • 10.
    • 2283772.

  • Gustav Mahler

    Symphony no. 5 in C sharp minor

    Conductor: Herbert von Karajan. Performer: Berliner Philharmoniker.
    • DG.
    • DG 439 429-2.

  • Gustav Mahler

    Symphony no. 9

    Conductor: Sir Simon Rattle. Performer: Berliner Philharmoniker.
    • EMI.
    • 586501 2.

  • Stevie Wonder

    I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU

    Performer: Stevie Wonder.
    • MOTOWN.
    • WD-72609.

  • C Arnold

    Can't Smile Without You

    Composer: D Martin. Performer: Barry Manilow. Performer: Barry Manilow Band. Performer: Ron Walters. Performer: 主播大秀 Concert Orchestra.

  • The Beach Boys

    God Only Knows

    • Capitol.
    • 7243-57134521.

  • Bernard Cribbins

    RIGHT SAID FRED

    • EMI GOLD.
    • 578-6582.

  • Bill Withers

    Harlem

    Performer: Bill Withers.
    • Columbia.
    • 82876845522.

  • Jean Sibelius

    Symphony no. 3 in C major Op.52

    Conductor: Sir Mark Elder. Performer: Hall茅.
    • Halle.
    • CDHLL7514.

  • Steve Reich

    MUSIC FOR 18 MUSICIANS (final sections)

    Performer: Ensemble Signal.
    • Harmonia Mundi.
    • HMU907608.

  • Anton Bruckner

    Symphony no. 8 in C minor

    Conductor: Mariss Jansons. Performer: Bavarian S O.
    • BR-Klassik.
    • 900165.

  • Franz Schubert

    Sonata in A major D.959 for piano

    Performer: Paul Lewis.
    • HARMONIA MUNDI.
    • HMC 902165/66.

  • Nellie McKay

    David

    Performer: Nellie McKay.
    • Columbia.
    • 21670.

  • D Child

    Livin On A Prayer

    Composer: Jon Bon Jovi. Composer: Richie Sambora. Performer: BON JOVI.
    • Universal Music TV.
    • 545-3012.

Broadcast

  • Sun 24 Jun 2018 17:00
    主播大秀 Radio 3

Why do we call it 'classical' music?

Tom Service poses a very simple question (with a not-so-simple answer).

Six of the world's most extreme voices

From babies to Mongolian throat singers: whose voice is the most extreme of all?

How did the number 12 revolutionise music?

How did the number 12 revolutionise music?

How Schoenberg opened a new cosmos for composers and listeners to explore.

Why are we all addicted to bass?

Why are we all addicted to bass?

Bass is everywhere, but why do we enjoy it? Join Tom Service on a journey of discovery.

Watch the animations

Join Tom Service on a musical journey through beginnings, repetition and bass lines.

When does noise become music?

We like to think we can separate 鈥渘oise鈥� from 鈥渕usic鈥�, but is it that simple?

Podcast