Unlike in classical music, modulations happen on a very frequent basis in MT and Defying Gravity is perhaps one of the best examples of this! Changing key without any transition gives the music a push and provides a very unique sense of drive.

"Freeze Your Brain" from Heathers is in a clear major key (D flat major) and at 0'21 the key suddenly shifts up a tone to E flat major for the second half of the first verse.

The music gains more momentum at 2'07 during the second chorus when the music again shifts up, this time to A major.

Defying Gravity establishes a clear major tonality from bar 20 (0'32) with a perfect cadence in B major. Before this point, the music is very turbulent and argumentative. Supporting this mood, the music is unsettled in terms of tonality.

Here are the various keys used in the song:

• B major at bar 20 (0'32).

• F major at bar 22 (0'37), which is sudden and unexpected, creating tension.

• D major at bar 32 (1'10) which is the most prominent key of the song. The music remains here for some time, providing a sense of stability for Elphaba to come across strongly and assertively.

• G major at bar 88 (2'48) for the bridge.

• D major again at bar 103 (3'29) after a chromatic transition for 2 bars.

• B flat major at bar 113 (3'47) which is again very sudden, providing a jolting effect.

The tonality from bar 115 (3'53) is very chromatic and doesn't settle into a key as the characters do the introduction reprise. This creates a lot of tension and suspense as the audience are unsure about what is going to happen.

• C major at bar 129 (4'22).

• D major at bar 132 (4'27) to the end of the song to create a firm, conclusive end to the song and first act.

Schwartz uses a "special effect" in the bridge (bar 88, 2'48) to enhance the feeling of mysticism.

He does this by implying a tonality of C major with a strong sustained chord of C held for 5 bars alongside the higher ostinato. The ostinato includes an F sharp and so supports the actual key of G major.

Having these two simultaneous parts creates a bitonal effect. See the notation below.