D-sharp minor is a
minor scale based on
D, consisting of the pitches D,
E,
F,
G,
A,
B, and
C. Its
key signature has six
sharps.
Its
relative major is
F-sharp major (or enharmonically
G-flat major). Its
parallel major, D-sharp major,
is usually replaced by
E-flat major, since D-sharp major's two
double-sharps make it impractical to use. Its
enharmonic equivalent,
E-flat minor, has six flats.
The D-sharp
natural minor scale is:
Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with accidentals as necessary. The D-sharp
harmonic minor and
melodic minor scales are:
Scale degree chords
The
scale degree chords of D-sharp minor are:
*
Tonic – D-sharp minor
*
Supertonic –
E-sharp diminished
*
Mediant –
F-sharp major
*
Subdominant –
G-sharp minor
*
Dominant –
A-sharp minor
*
Submediant –
B major
*
Subtonic –
C-sharp major
Music in D-sharp minor
D-sharp minor is infrequently used as the principal key of pieces in the
Classical era
Classical antiquity, also known as the classical era, classical period, classical age, or simply antiquity, is the period of cultural European history between the 8th century BC and the 5th century AD comprising the interwoven civilization ...
. More common is notation in E-flat minor, which is a relatively manageable key for many
brass instruments and
woodwinds. In the 24 canonic keys, most of the composers preferred E-flat minor, while
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach (German: Help:IPA/Standard German, �joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque music, Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety ...
,
Sergei Lyapunov, and
Manuel Ponce preferred D-sharp minor.
From Bach's ''
The Well-Tempered Clavier'', the eighth fugue from Book 1 and the eighth prelude and fugue from Book 2 are in D-sharp minor; both fugues end with a
Picardy third, requiring an F in the final
D-sharp major chord.
The second of Lyapunov's ''
12 Transcendental Études'' ("Ronde des Fantômes") is also in D-sharp minor.
Alexander Scriabin's
Etude Op. 8, No. 12 is in this key, perhaps the most famous example.
The second movement from
Charles-Valentin Alkan's ''
Grande sonate 'Les quatre âges''', subtitled ''Quasi-
Faust'', is also in D-sharp minor (but ends in
F-sharp major), and modulates into even sharper keys along the way, some even being
theoretical keys, such as
G-sharp major and D-sharp major.
In a few scores, 6-sharp key signatures in the bass clef are written with the sharp for the A on the top line.
Despite the key rarely being used in orchestral music other than to modulate, it is not entirely uncommon in keyboard music. For orchestration of piano music, some theorists recommend transposing the music to
D minor or
E minor. If D-sharp minor must absolutely be used, one should take care that B wind instruments be notated in
F minor, rather than
E-sharp minor (or G instruments used instead, giving a transposed key of
G-sharp minor), and B instruments in
E minor, in order to avoid double sharps in key signatures. Meanwhile, the E horns would have parts written with a
B minor key signature. Instruments in F can be written in
A-sharp minor but it is more recommended to use
B-flat minor for them.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:D-Sharp Minor
Musical keys
Minor scales