This is what Papa told me when I was five years old: in music every key is a small royal court. The king (the first step of the scale) exercises power with the help of two princes (the fifth and fourth steps). Under their orders are four other dignitaries, each with his own special relation to the king and princes. The court also takes in five other tones, which are called chromatic. They of course occupy first-rank positions in other keys, but here they are only guests. Because each of the twelve tones has its own position, title, and function, any piece of music we hear is more than just a
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