In 1806 the German composer Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart (1739-1791) identified typical characteristics of all the musical keys in his book entitled Ideas on an Aesthetics of Tonality (Ideen zu einer Ästhetik der Tonkunst).
C Major and A Minor
C major, for instance, was regarded as pure, innocent and naïve while its relative minor, A minor, was indicative of the tenderness of womankind.
G Major and F Minor
G major was viewed as rustic and lyrical as well as a depiction of lasting friendship and faithful love with E minor, in contrast, denoting an innocent declaration of love by a woman.
C Minor
C minor is the key of unrequited love employed, for instance, by Beethoven in his Fifth Symphony, his “Pathétique” Sonata No 8 and his 32 Variations and by Mozart in his Great Mass in C Minor unfinished at his death.
C# Minor & D♭ Major
C# minor and D♭ major were said to depict sorrow, grief and lamentation. The key of C# Minor was used by Beethoven in his “Moonlight” Sonata No 14, by Rachmaninoff in his Prelude in C-Sharp Minor and by Chopin in his Fantaisie-Impromptu and his Waltz in C-Sharp Minor.
D Major
D major is the key of triumph, victory and rejoicing. D major is used for Pachelbel’s Canon in D, Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, Beethoven’s Symphony No 2 and Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks.
E♭ Major
E♭ major is considered the key of love and devotion. The key of E♭ major is seen in symphonies, such as Mozart’s Symphony No 39, Beethoven “Eroica” Symphony No 3, Mahler’s Symphony No 8, Sibelius’ Symphony No 5, Bruckner’s Symphony No 4 and Schumann’s “Rhenish” Symphony No 3.
Other keys
E major invokes joy and laughter and F major denotes contentment and calm.
D# minor, conversely, portrays feelings of anxiety, distress and despair while F minor conveys depression and misery.
F# major, conversely, signifies triumph when struggle has been overcome with B♭ major as the key of cheerful hope and optimism.
G minor is the key of discontentment and worry and A♭ major is regarded as the key of death.
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