24 (or: Jack Bauer’s Preludes and Fugues)
It was the season finale of 24 last night. Quite frankly I’m sort of relieved it’s over with, as I now have my Monday nights back, plus it was getting (dare I say it) kinda lame. For anyone who isn’t aware of the general premise of this show, it’s set in “real-time” so that the entire series of 24 episodes represents one day in the life of agent Jack Bauer. Since they’re up to series 6 already, he clearly manages to have repeatedly incredibly interesting and dramatic days. Sort of like exactly the opposite of a physics graduate student. For anyone who is aware of this show, you might like the per-episode awarding of points to the main characters at this site.
So what does this have to do with classical music? Well since you’re so damn keen and insistent I’ll tell you – if you haven’t guessed already. 24… right? Well, that’s the ever so standard number of preludes and/or fugues which composers like composing – they naturally pick that number because there are that many possible keys you can compose in, if you use the diatonic scale. 7 white notes to start on, plus 5 black notes, gives you twelve – times two for major and minor.
So what I’m getting at is: since 24 kinda sucks now, and it seems as though it’s the same plotline over and over, they need a change. They need to mix it up a little. My suggested change is instead of doing one episode for each hour in the day, do one episode for each possible key in the diatonic scale. Alright, stop laughing now. I’m almost serious.
Each episode would be themed according to the ‘feel” of the key. Since nowadays we use equal temperament I guess the keys have lost their individual feels, but for example, c-minor can still be considered all emotional and Beethoveney (coz that’s what he liked). Pulling a few more key-mood relationships off of wikipedia we have: D-minor – counterpoint (For an episode theme we can have two stories being told at the same time), A-flat major – slow (I dunno, an episode where everyone gets stuck in traffic?), G-minor (tragic consummation – use your filthy imagination).
Yeah, I know it’s more than a tad unlikely that Fox would do this, but I reckon it’s kind of a cute idea. I’d love to make a bunch of short films, one in each key. Actually it wouldn’t surprise me at all if it’s already been done.
PS – If anybody can tell me which movie the picture of Kiefer above is from they’ll get a prize.
PPS – Maybe.
PPPS – Well, probably not. But I’ll be impressed.
May 23rd, 2007 at 3:55 am
But to do this idea justice you need to go beyond Wiki for your key characters.
First port of call is the library of any university with a halfway decent music department. They should have a copy of:
Rita Steblin
A History of Key Characteristics (UMI Research Press, 1983)
Read it. But especially read Appendix A – a wonderful compilation of key characters (in alphabetical order beginning with C major and ending with B minor) from the late 17th century into the 19th century. There’s lots of diversity of viewpoint and some hilarious subjectivity, but it’s fascinating to look at the big picture and see how the general tenor of the interpretations shifted, particularly with the introduction of equal temperament.
I say go for it!
May 23rd, 2007 at 9:05 pm
Thanks for the awesome looking reference Yvonne. I’ll check it out!