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Tonicized: Key of G Major in 'Star Spangled Banner'
Tonicized means a note other than the tonic is temporarily made into the tonic note, signalling a brief modulation. So, if that F♯ is in fact signalling a modulation, it could be to one of two keys. It could be to the key of D major via 3 to 4. Or it could be to the key of G major, via 7 to 1 (8).
Which is it?
One way to signal a new tonal centre is to hold a note a bit longer after making a move from VII to I (8). In this example, the word “light” gets held for a couple of beats.
So, it would appear, the modulation is to the key of G major, because the note G is held for a couple of beats. In other words, G has been tonicized.
The modulation does not last long. Hardly long enough to consider it a bona fide modulation. Within a couple of notes, the tune reverts to the key of C.
The modulation is just long enough to accomplish the songwriter’s aim: to infuse the tune with some variety without sacrificing unity.
A limited modulation of this nature, a tonicization, is a modulation that does not completely establish another tonal centre. In this example, the F♯ tonicized G—made G the tonic note—although only briefly. No clear-cut boundary exists between tonicization and full-blown modulation. Think of tonicization as a mild modulation. Modulation lite. It adds color, variety, interest.
In an inspired stroke of modulatory repetition, G is tonicized again, later in the tune, on the words “was still there” (i. e., in the phrase, “our flag was still there”). This reinforces unity (repetition) plus variety (modulation).