D major 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 doubl ...

based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. 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 cl ...

has two sharps. Its relative minor is

B minor B minor is a minor scale based on B, consisting of the pitches B, C, D, E, F, G, and A. Its key signature has two sharps. Its relative major is D major and its parallel major is B major. The B natural minor scale is: Changes need ...

and its parallel minor is

D minor D minor is a minor scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. Its key signature has one flat. Its relative major is F major and its parallel major is D major. The D natural minor scale is: Changes needed ...

. The D major scale is: Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with accidentals as necessary. The D harmonic major and melodic major scales are:

Scale degree chords

The

scale degree In music theory, the scale degree is the position of a particular note on a scale relative to the tonic—the first and main note of the scale from which each octave is assumed to begin. Degrees are useful for indicating the size of intervals ...

chords of D major are: * Tonic – D major *

Supertonic In music, the supertonic is the second degree () of a diatonic scale, one whole step above the tonic. In the movable do solfège system, the supertonic note is sung as ''re''. The triad built on the supertonic note is called the supertonic ...

– E minor * Mediant – F-sharp minor *

Subdominant In music, the subdominant is the fourth tonal degree () of the diatonic scale. It is so called because it is the same distance ''below'' the tonic as the dominant is ''above'' the tonicin other words, the tonic is the dominant of the subdomina ...

–

G major G major is a major scale based on G (musical note), G, with the pitches G, A (musical note), A, B (musical note), B, C (musical note), C, D (musical note), D, E (musical note), E, and F♯ (musical note), F. Its key signature has one sharp (music ...

* Dominant – A major *

Submediant In music, the submediant is the sixth degree () of a diatonic scale. The submediant ("lower mediant") is named thus because it is halfway between the tonic and the subdominant ("lower dominant") or because its position below the tonic is symm ...

–

* Leading-tone – C-sharp diminished

Characteristics

D major is well-suited to

violin The violin, sometimes referred to as a fiddle, is a wooden chordophone, and is the smallest, and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in regular use in the violin family. Smaller violin-type instruments exist, including the violino picc ...

music because of the structure of the instrument, which is tuned G D A E. The open strings resonate sympathetically with the D string, producing a sound that is especially brilliant. This is also the case with all other orchestral strings. Thus, it is no coincidence that many classical

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

s throughout the centuries have chosen to write violin concertos in D major, including those by

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...

( No. 2, 1775, No. 4, 1775);

Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire ...

( 1806); Paganini ( No. 1, 1817); Brahms ( 1878); Tchaikovsky ( 1878); Prokofiev ( No. 1, 1917); Stravinsky ( 1931); and Korngold ( 1945). The key is also appropriate for

guitar The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...

music, with drop D tuning making two D's available as open strings. For some beginning wind instrument students, however, D major is not a very suitable key, since it transposes to

E major E major is a major scale based on E, consisting of the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. Its key signature has four sharps. Its relative minor is C-sharp minor and its parallel minor is E minor. Its enharmonic equivalent, F-flat maj ...

on B wind instruments, and beginning methods generally tend to avoid keys with more than three sharps. Even so, the

clarinet The clarinet is a Single-reed instrument, single-reed musical instrument in the woodwind family, with a nearly cylindrical bore (wind instruments), bore and a flared bell. Clarinets comprise a Family (musical instruments), family of instrume ...

in B is still often used for music in D major, and it is perhaps the sharpest key that is practical for the instrument. There are composers however who, in writing a piece in D minor with B clarinets, will have them change to clarinets in A if the music switches to D major, two examples being Rachmaninoff's Third Piano Concerto and

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire ...

's Ninth Symphony in the fourth movement. The vast majority of tin whistles are in D, since they are often used in music with

fiddle A fiddle is a Bow (music), bowed String instrument, string musical instrument, most often a violin or a bass. It is a colloquial term for the violin, used by players in all genres, including European classical music, classical music. Althou ...

s. It is a common key for pub session playing.

History

In the Baroque period, D major was regarded as "the key of glory"; hence many

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz musical ensemble, ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest Register (music), register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitche ...

concertos were in D major, such as those by Johann Friedrich Fasch, Gross, Molter (No. 2),

Leopold Mozart Johann Georg Leopold Mozart (November 14, 1719 – May 28, 1787) was a German composer, violinist, and music theorist. He is best known today as the father and teacher of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and for his violin textbook ''Versuch einer grün ...

, Telemann (No. 2), and Giuseppe Torelli. Many trumpet sonatas were in D major, too, such as those by Corelli, Petronio Franceschini, Purcell, and Torelli. "The Trumpet Shall Sound" and the "Hallelujah" chorus from Handel's ''

Messiah In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; , ; , ; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of '' mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach ...

'', and his coronation anthem '' Zadok the Priest'' are in D major. In addition, Bach's Mass in B minor has D major as the relative major, and most of the major choruses in this key (Gloria, Cum Sancto Spiritu, Sanctus, Hosanna) make extensive use of trumpets. 23 of Haydn's 104 symphonies are in D major, making it the most-often used main key of his symphonies. The vast majority of

's unnumbered symphonies are in D major, namely K. 66c, 81/73, 97/73m, 95/73n, 120/111a and 161/163/141a. The symphony evolved from the overture, and "D major was by far the most common key for overtures in the second half of the eighteenth century." This continued even into the Romantic Period, and was used for the "triumphant" final movements of several

symphonies, including

's Ninth Symphony,

Robert Schumann Robert Schumann (; ; 8 June 181029 July 1856) was a German composer, pianist, and music critic of the early Romantic music, Romantic era. He composed in all the main musical genres of the time, writing for solo piano, voice and piano, chamber ...

's Fourth Symphony, the only symphony by César Franck,

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

's First Symphony, and

Felix Mendelssohn Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic music, Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositions inc ...

's Fifth Symphony. Famous symphonies written in D major include

's symphonies No. 31 (Paris), No.35 (Haffner), and No. 38 (Prague),

's No. 2, Op. 36, Brahms's No. 2, Op. 73, Sibelius's No. 2, Op. 43, and Prokofiev's No. 1 (Classical), Op. 25.

Notable compositions in D major

Antonio Vivaldi Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist, impresario of Baroque music and Roman Catholic priest. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lif ...

** Gloria RV 589 *

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 ...

** Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, BWV 1050 ** Cello Suite No. 6, BWV 1012 ** Orchestral Suite No. 3, BWV 1068 ** Orchestral Suite No. 4, BWV 1069 ** Magnificat, BWV 243 ** Partita No. 4, BWV 828 *

Johann Pachelbel Johann Pachelbel (also Bachelbel; baptised – buried 9 March 1706) was a German composer, organist, and teacher who brought the south German organ schools to their peak. He composed a large body of sacred and secularity, secular music, and ...

** Canon in D *

George Frideric 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 concerti. Born in Halle, Germany, H ...

** '' Music for the Royal Fireworks'', HWV 351 *

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

** Cello Concerto No. 2, Op. 101, Hob. VIIb/2 ** String Quartet No. 41, Hob.III:49 ("The Frog") ** String Quartet No. 53, Hob.III:63 ("The Lark") ** String Quartet No. 64, Hob.III:79 ("Largo") ** Symphony No. 86, Hob.I:86 ** Symphony No. 96, Hob.I:96 ("The Miracle") ** Symphony No. 101, Hob.I:101 ("The Clock") ** Symphony No. 104, Hob.I:104 ("London") *

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...

** Symphony No. 8, KV 48 ** Symphony No. 20, KV 133 ** Symphony No. 30, KV 202 ** Symphony No. 31, KV 297 ("Paris") ** Symphony No. 35, KV 385 ("Haffner") ** Symphony No. 38, KV 504 ("Prague") ** Piano Concerto No. 5, KV 175 ** Piano Concerto No. 16, KV 451 ** Piano Concerto No. 26, KV 537 ("Coronation") ** String Quartet No. 20, KV 499 ("Hoffmeister") ** String Quartet No. 21, KV 575 ** String Quintet No. 5, KV 593 ** Piano Sonata No. 6, KV 284 ("Dürnitz") ** Piano Sonata No. 9, KV 311 ** Piano Sonata No. 18, KV 576 ** Sonata in D major for Two Pianos, KV 448 ** Ave verum corpus, KV 618 *

** Kurfürsten Sonata No. 3 WoO 47/3 ** Sonata for piano four-hands, Op. 6 ** String Trio No. 2, Op. 8 (as well as the transcription for viola and piano, Op. 42) ** String Trio No. 4, Op. 9/2 ** String Quartet No. 3, Op. 18, No. 3 ** Serenade for flute, violin and viola Op. 25 (as well as the transcription for flute and piano, Op. 41) ** Violin Sonata No. 1 Op. 12/1 ** Piano Sonata No. 7, Op. 10/3 ** Piano Sonata No. 15, Op. 28 ("Pastoral") ** Symphony No. 2, Op. 36 ** Violin Concerto, Op. 61 ** Piano Trio No. 5, Op. 70, No. 1 ("Ghost") ** Variations on a Turkish March Op. 76 ** Cello Sonata No. 5, Op. 102/2 ** '' Missa Solemnis'', Op. 123 *

Franz Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; ; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical period (music), Classical and early Romantic music, Romantic eras. Despite his short life, Schubert left behind a List of compositions ...

** Symphony No. 1, D. 82 ** Symphony No. 3, D. 200 ** Symphony No. 10, D 936A ** String Quartet No. 6, D. 74 ** String Quartet No. 7, D. 94 ** Piano Sonata No. 17, D 850 "Gasteiner" *

** Symphonies for string orchestra Nos. 2 and 8 ** '' Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage'', Op. 27 ** String Quartet No. 3, Op. 44, No. 1 ** Cello Sonata No. 2, Op. 58 ** Organ Sonata No. 5, Op. 65, No. 5 ** Piano Sextet for piano, violin, two violas, cello and double bass, Op. posth. 110 *

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 Piano solo, solo piano. He has maintained worldwide renown ...

** Mazurka, Op. 33, No. 2 ** Prelude No. 5, Op. 28 *

Johannes Brahms Johannes Brahms (; ; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor of the mid-Romantic period (music), Romantic period. His music is noted for its rhythmic vitality and freer treatment of dissonance, oft ...

** Hungarian Dance No. 6, WoO 21 ** Serenade No. 1, Op. 11 ** Symphony No. 2, Op. 73 ** Violin Concerto, Op. 77 ** Ballade No. 2 for piano solo, Op. 10/2 ** Two sets of variations for piano solo, Op. 21 * Alexander Borodin ** String Quartet No. 2 * Émile Waldteufel ** Estudiantina waltz, Op. 191 *

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer during the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression internationally. Tchaikovsky wrote some of the most popula ...

** String Quartet No. 1, Op. 11 ** Symphony No. 3, Op. 29 ("Polish") ** Violin Concerto, Op. 35 * Antonín Dvořák ** String Quartet No. 3, B. 18 ** Piano Quartet No. 1, B. 53, Op. 23 ** Symphony No. 6, B 112 Op. 60 ** Mass in D major, B 153/175, Op. 86 ** Czech Suite, B 39 Op. 39 ** Slavonic Dance No. 6, B 83 Op. 46 *

Gustav Mahler Gustav Mahler (; 7 July 1860 – 18 May 1911) was an Austro-Bohemian Romantic music, Romantic composer, and one of the leading conductors of his generation. As a composer he acted as a bridge between the 19th-century Austro-German tradition and ...

** Symphony No. 1 "Titan" ** Symphony No. 9 (ends in D-flat major) *

Jean Sibelius Jean Sibelius (; ; born Johan Julius Christian Sibelius; 8 December 186520 September 1957) was a Finnish composer of the late Romantic music, Romantic and 20th-century classical music, early modern periods. He is widely regarded as his countr ...

** Symphony No. 2, Op. 43 ** '' The Oceanides'', Op. 73 * Ralph Vaughan Williams ** Symphony No. 5 in D major *

Sergei Prokofiev Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev; alternative transliterations of his name include ''Sergey'' or ''Serge'', and ''Prokofief'', ''Prokofieff'', or ''Prokofyev''. , group=n ( – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor who l ...

** Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 19 ** Symphony No. 1, Op. 25 ("Classical") ** Flute Sonata Op. 94 (and the transcription as the Violin Sonata No. 2 Op. 94bis) * Dmitri Shostakovich ** String Quartet No. 4, Op. 83 ** Prelude No. 5, Op. 87, No. 5 * Heitor Villa-Lobos ** Étude No. 3 for guitar

References

External links