Why is it so hard to find odd-metered orchestral music in a major key?

So these are all the pieces I know about that use an odd time signature or frequently changing time signatures, and lots of major key tonality:

'Slava!' by Bernstein
'Rachenitsa' from 'Thracian Dances' by Petko Stainov
'Sonoran Desert Holiday' by Ron Nelson
'Finale' from 'The Firebird' by Stravinsky
'Wind River' by Joseph Curiale
'Riding on the Wind' by Guo Wenjing

There are so many more odd-metered pieces that are minor-keyed or dissonant (like 'Vesuvius' and 'The Rite of Spring'). Would anyone else out there know more major-keyed?

I wouldn't say everyone who writes in an odd time signature basis their tonality in keys, since it is kind of a 20th Cent. Technique. A lot of the harmony in the Firebird isn't really in a key.

One of the moments in Bernstein Symphonic dances is very metrically complex. I think it's the Scherzo. The Last section of the Petroushka, (last page of the flute part) just after the 5/8 section is very rhythmically complex. Not with signature changes, but with rhythmically unrelated parts.

hmm... give me a bit, more will come to me.

Originally Posted by Corbin The Violist

I wouldn't say everyone who writes in an odd time signature basis their tonality in keys, since it is kind of a 20th Cent. Technique. A lot of the harmony in the Firebird isn't really in a key.

err, have you actually heard the firebird? it has very clear harmonic centers.

Originally Posted by rautavaara

err, have you actually heard the firebird? it has very clear harmonic centers.

Yes, it has very clear harmonic centers, lol. I thought my post was clear enough.

Some of it wouldn't necessarily be in a major key, the harmony would be a little more complex than that.

Check out Stravinsky's pieces of his neo-classical period, like Dumbarton Oaks or the Concerto in Re. Lots of these are generally major while having the often changing time signatures that are typical for Stravinsky.

But yeah, as Corbin said, I think the main reason that so many rhythmically complex pieces are "dissonant" is that in central Europe complex, changing time-signatures are something that only appeard in the late 19th and 20th centuries, at the same time as classical tonality slowly dissolved. You might find Bartòk pieces for example that sound a bit "major-ish" and have "odd" time-signatures, but well, it's Bartòk, so of course you have to expect quite some dissonance. The same applies to Stravinsky. And those are two composers who aren't as far from classical tonality as many, many others, who certainly also used "odd time-signatures".

OK, how about something VERY recent?
Corigliano, flute concerto, 2nd to last movement (The Burgher's Chorale)... VERY irregular time signature, and rather major-ish.

Amazon website, I don't know if the recording plays well

I bet you can find a lot of Bartok which sounds "majorish" and has weird time signatures or irregular time signature changes. The 4th and 5th movements from his concerto for orchestra pop in mind, but I bet there's more.

Thanks a lot! I like Bartók and Corigliano. Keep them coming.

I don't suppose Joie du sang des etoiles (Turangalila) of Messiaen would count?