Dec
30

The dominant key in a given musical composition is the key whose tonic is a perfect fifth above (or a perfect fourth below) the tonic of the main key of the piece. Put another way, the key whose tonic is the dominant scale degree in the main key.<ref>Grove Music Online, “Dominant”]

If, for example, a piece is written in the key of C major, then the key of C is the tonic key. The key of G major is the dominant key since it is based on the dominant note for the key of C major. <ref>Encyclopædia Britannica “dominant”</ref>

In sonata form, the second subject group is usually in the dominant key. Even with the widest roaming modulations in the development, the dominant key exerts influence and eventually forces a return to the tonic key. <ref>Answers.com “sonata”</ref>


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