Contents

F-sharp minor

Minor scale

F-sharp minor

Relative key	A major
Parallel key	F-sharp major
Dominant key	C-sharp minor
Subdominant	B minor
Component pitches
F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D, E

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 majorisA major and its parallel majorisF-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:

Scale degree chords[edit]

• Tonic – F-sharp minor
• Supertonic – G-sharp diminished
• Mediant – A major
• Subdominant – B minor
• Dominant – C-sharp minor
• Submediant – D major
• Subtonic – E major

Music in F-sharp minor[edit]

Very few symphonies are written in this key, Haydn's Farewell Symphony being one famous example. George Frederick Bristow and Dora Pejačević 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, Wieniawski's Violin Concerto No. 1, Vieuxtemps's Violin Concerto No. 2, Bernhard Romberg's Cello Concerto Op. 30 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 Dussek's Sonata in F sharp minor, Op. 61 ('Élégie Harmonique'), 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 of Beethoven's Hammerklavier piano sonata is written in this key. Wagner too wrote a fantasy in F-sharp minor (WWV 22).

Handel 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, Bach's only other work in F-sharp minor is the Toccata BWV 910. Mozart's only composition in this key is the second movement to his Piano Concerto No. 23inA major.^[1]

F-sharp minor is sometimes used as the parallel minor of G-flat major, especially since G-flat major's real parallel minor, G-flat minor, would have nine flats including two double-flats. For example, in the middle section of his seventh HumoresqueinG-flat major, Antonín Dvořák switches from G-flat major to F-sharp minor for the middle section in the parallel minor.

Notable classical compositions in F-sharp minor[edit]

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• Anthony Morris, "Symphonies, Numbers and Keys" in Bob's Poetry Magazine, III.3, March 2006.

External links[edit]

• Media related to F-sharp minor at Wikimedia Commons