F-sharp minor is a minor scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has three sharps. Its

relative major In music, relative keys are the major and minor scales that have the same key signatures ( enharmonically equivalent), meaning that they share all the same notes but are arranged in a different order of whole steps and half steps. A pair of majo ...

A major A major (or the key of A) is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has three sharps. Its relative minor is F-sharp minor and its parallel minor is A minor. The key of A major is the only k ...

and its

parallel major In music theory, a major scale and a minor scale that have the same tonic note are called parallel keys and are said to be in a parallel relationship. Forte, Allen (1979). ''Tonal Harmony'', p.9. 3rd edition. Holt, Rinehart, and Wilson. . "Whe ...

is F-sharp major (or enharmonically G-flat major). The F-sharp natural minor scale is: : Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with accidentals as necessary. The F-sharp harmonic minor and melodic minor scales are: : :

Music in F-sharp minor

Very few symphonies are written in this key, Haydn's ''

Farewell Symphony Joseph Haydn's Symphony No. 45 in F minor, known as the "Farewell" Symphony (german: Abschieds-Symphonie; modern orthography: ), is a symphony dated 1772 on the autograph score. A typical performance of the symphony lasts around twenty-five minut ...

'' being one famous example.

George Frederick Bristow George Frederick Bristow (December 19, 1825 – December 13, 1898) was an American composer. He advocated American classical music, rather than favoring European pieces. He was famously involved in a related controversy involving William Hen ...

and

Dora Pejačević Countess Maria Theodora Paulina (Dora) Pejačević ( hu, Gróf verőczei Pejácsevich Mária Theodóra Paulina "Dóra", link=no, 10 September 1885 – 5 March 1923) was a Croatian composer and a member of the Pejačević noble family. She wa ...

also wrote symphonies in this key. The few concerti written in this key are usually written for the composer himself to play, including Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 1, Scriabin's

Piano Concerto A piano concerto is a type of concerto, a solo composition in the classical music genre which is composed for a piano player, which is typically accompanied by an orchestra or other large ensemble. Piano concertos are typically virtuoso showpie ...

, Wieniawski's Violin Concerto No. 1, Vieuxtemps's Violin Concerto No. 2, and Koussevitzky's Double Bass Concerto. In addition to the ''Farewell Symphony'', Haydn's Piano Trio No. 40 (Hob. XV:26) and String Quartet Op. 50, No. 4 are in F-sharp minor. More prominent piano pieces written in F-sharp minor include Schumann's Sonata No. 1 in F-sharp minor (1833-35), Chopin's Polonaise in F minor, Scriabin's Third Sonata, and Ravel's ''Sonatine''. The

slow movement Slow movement may refer to: * Slow movement (music) *Slow movement (culture) *Bradykinesia Hypokinesia is one of the classifications of movement disorders, and refers to decreased bodily movement. Hypokinesia is characterized by a partial or com ...

of Beethoven's Hammerklavier piano sonata is written in this key.

Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel (; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concertos. Handel received his training i ...

set the sixth of his eight harpsichord suites of 1720 in F-sharp minor. Aside from a prelude and fugue from each of the two books of ''

The Well-Tempered Clavier ''The Well-Tempered Clavier'', BWV 846–893, consists of two sets of preludes and fugues in all 24 major and minor keys for keyboard by Johann Sebastian Bach. In the composer's time, ''clavier'', meaning keyboard, referred to a variety of i ...

'', Bach's only other work in F-sharp minor is the Toccata BWV 910.

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...

's only composition in this key is the second movement to his Piano Concerto No. 23 in

Notable classical compositions in F-sharp minor

Charles-Valentin Alkan Charles-Valentin Alkan (; 30 November 1813 – 29 March 1888) was a French Jewish composer and virtuoso pianist. At the height of his fame in the 1830s and 1840s he was, alongside his friends and colleagues Frédéric Chopin and Franz Li ...

: Concerto for Solo Piano: Allegretto alla barbaresca *

Johannes Brahms Johannes Brahms (; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the mid-Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, he spent much of his professional life in Vienna. He is sometimes grouped wit ...

** Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 2 ** Hungarian Dance No. 5 (original piano version) *

Frédéric Chopin Frédéric François Chopin (born Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin; 1 March 181017 October 1849) was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic period, who wrote primarily for solo piano. He has maintained worldwide renown as a leadin ...

** Polonaise in F-sharp minor, Op. 44 ** Nocturne, Op. 48, No. 2 ** Mazurka, Op. 59, No. 3 ** Prelude No. 8 in F# minor, Op. 28/8 * Ernst von Dohnányi: Suite in F-sharp minor * George Enescu: Piano Sonata No. 1, Op. 24, No. 1 (1924) *

Gabriel Fauré Gabriel Urbain Fauré (; 12 May 1845 – 4 November 1924) was a French composer, organist, pianist and teacher. He was one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th-century composers ...

: Pavane, Op. 50 * César Franck **'' Symphonic Variations'' **'' Les Djinns'' *

Joseph Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( , ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions to musical form have le ...

** Symphony No. 45 (''Farewell'') ** Piano Trio No. 40, Hob. XV:26 *

Sergei Rachmaninoff Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff; in Russian pre-revolutionary script. (28 March 1943) was a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one o ...

** Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 1 ** Prelude in F-sharp minor No. 1, Op. 23 *

Maurice Ravel Joseph Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. He is often associated with Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composers rejected the term. In ...

: '' Sonatine'' *

Franz Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short lifetime, Schubert left behind a vast ''oeuvre'', including more than 600 secular vocal wo ...

: Piano Sonata in F-sharp minor, D 571 (incomplete) *

Robert Schumann Robert Schumann (; 8 June 181029 July 1856) was a German composer, pianist, and influential music critic. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the Romantic era. Schumann left the study of law, intending to pursue a career a ...

: Piano Sonata No. 1, Op. 11 *

Alexander Scriabin Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin (; russian: Александр Николаевич Скрябин ; – ) was a Russian composer and virtuoso pianist. Before 1903, Scriabin was greatly influenced by the music of Frédéric Chopin and composed ...

, Op. 20 ** Piano Sonata No. 3, Op. 23 *

Dmitri Shostakovich Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich, , group=n (9 August 1975) was a Soviet-era Russian composer and pianist who became internationally known after the premiere of his First Symphony in 1926 and was regarded throughout his life as a major compo ...

** Prelude and Fugue No. 8, Op. 87 ** String Quartet No. 7, Op. 108 *

Igor Stravinsky Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (6 April 1971) was a Russian composer, pianist and conductor, later of French (from 1934) and American (from 1945) citizenship. He is widely considered one of the most important and influential 20th-century clas ...

: Piano Sonata (1903–04) * Georg Philipp Telemann: Fantasy for Solo Flute No. 10 *

Henryk Wieniawski Henryk Wieniawski (; 10 July 183531 March 1880) was a Polish virtuoso violinist, composer and pedagogue who is regarded amongst the greatest violinists in history. His younger brother Józef Wieniawski and nephew Adam Tadeusz Wieniawski were a ...

: Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 14

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:F-Sharp Minor Musical keys Minor scales

Music in F-sharp minor

Notable classical compositions in F-sharp minor

References

Further reading

External links