F major (or the key of F) is a
major scale
The major scale (or Ionian mode) is one of the most commonly used musical scales, especially in Western music. It is one of the diatonic scales. Like many musical scales, it is made up of seven notes: the eighth duplicates the first at double ...
based on
F, with the pitches F,
G,
A,
B,
C,
D, and
E. Its
key signature
In Western musical notation, a key signature is a set of sharp (), flat (), or rarely, natural () symbols placed on the staff at the beginning of a section of music. The initial key signature in a piece is placed immediately after the clef a ...
has one
flat. Its
relative minor
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 major an ...
is
D minor and its
parallel minor
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. . "When ...
is
F minor
F minor is a minor scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature consists of four flats. Its relative major is A-flat major and its parallel major is F major. Its enharmonic equivalent, E-sharp mi ...
.
The F major scale is:
:
F major is the home key of the
English horn, the
basset horn, the
horn in F, the
trumpet in F and the bass
Wagner tuba
The Wagner tuba is a four-valve brass instrument named after and commissioned by Richard Wagner. It combines technical features of both standard tubas and French horns, though despite its name, the Wagner tuba is more similar to the latter, and ...
. Thus, music in F major for these
transposing instruments is written in
C major. Most of these sound a perfect fifth lower than written, with the exception of the trumpet in F which sounds a fourth higher. (The basset horn also often sounds an octave and a fifth lower.)
Notable compositions in F major
*
Antonio Vivaldi
**
Trio sonata Op. 1/5 for two violins and basso continuo, RV 69
**
Violin sonata Op. 2/4, RV 20
**
Violin sonata Op. 5/1, RV 18
**
Violin concerto Op. 3/7 from ''L'estro armonico'', for four violins and orchestra, RV 567
**
Violin concerto Op. 4/9 from ''La Stravaganza'', RV 284
**
Violin concerto Op. 7/10, ''Il Ritiro'', RV 294
**
Violin concerto Op. 8/3, ''Autumn'' from ''The four seasons'', RV 293
**
Flute concerto Op. 10/1, RV 433, ''La tempesta di mare''
** Flute concerto Op. 10/5, RV 434
*
Johann Sebastian Bach
**
''Italian Concerto'' in F major, BWV 971
**
''Brandenburg Concertos'' Nos. 1 & 2, BWV 1046–1047
*
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
**
Piano Concerto No. 19, K. 459
**
Piano Sonata No. 12, K. 332/300k
**
String Quartet No. 23, K. 590
**
Violin Sonata No. 24, K. 376
**
Violin Sonata No. 36, K. 547
**
Oboe Quartet, K. 370/368b
*
Ludwig van Beethoven
**
Symphony No. 6, Op. 68 ("Pastoral")
**
Symphony No. 8, Op. 93
**
Romance no. 2 for violin and orchestra, Op. 50
**
String Quartet No. 1, Op. 18/1
**
String Quartet No. 7, Op. 59/1
**
String Quartet No. 16, Op. 135
**
Violin Sonata No. 5, Op. 24 (Frühling)
**
Piano Sonata No. 6, Op. 10/2
**
Piano Sonata No. 22, Op. 54
**
Horn Sonata, Op. 17
*
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 ...
**
Octet, D. 803
**
Mass No. 1, D. 105
**
Deutsche Messe (German Mass), D 872
**
Adagio and Rondo Concertante for piano quartet, D. 487
*
Felix Mendelssohn
**
Violin Sonata No. 1
**
Violin Sonata No. 3
*
Franz Liszt
**
Transcendental Étude No. 3 "Paysage"
*
Frédéric Chopin
**
Ballade No. 2
**
Étude Op. 10, No. 8 "Sunshine/Encore"
**
Nocturne Op. 15, No. 1
**
Étude Op. 25, No. 3 "The Horseman"
**
Prelude Op. 28, No. 23 "Pleasure Boat"
**
Waltz Op. 34, No. 3
*
Charles-Valentin Alkan
**
Prelude Op. 31, No. 11 "Un petit rien"
*
Johannes Brahms
**
''Ein Deutsches Requiem'', Op. 45
**
String Quintet No. 1, Op. 88
**
Symphony No. 3, Op. 90
**
Cello Sonata No. 2, Op. 99
*
Anton Bruckner
**
String Quintet
A string quintet is a musical composition for five string players. As an extension to the string quartet (two violins, a viola, and a cello), a string quintet includes a fifth string instrument, usually a second viola (a so-called "viola quintet" ...
*
Maurice Ravel
**
String Quartet
*
George Gershwin
George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned popular, jazz and classical genres. Among his best-known works are the orchestral compositions ' ...
**
Concerto in F
*
Dmitri Shostakovich
**
String Quartet No. 3, Op. 73
**
Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 102
*
Antonín Dvořák
**
Symphony No. 5, Op. 76
**
String Quartet No. 12 (American Quartet), Op. 96
*
Duke Ellington
**
In a Sentimental Mood
See also
*
Key (music)
*
Major and minor
In Western music, the adjectives major and minor may describe a chord, scale, or key. As such, composition, movement, section, or phrase may be referred to by its key, including whether that key is major or minor.
Intervals
Some intervals ...
*
Chord (music)
*
Chord letters
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:F Major
Musical keys
Major scales