B minor

{{Short description|Minor scale based on B}}

{{Infobox musical scale

| name=B minor
{ \magnifyStaff #3/2 \omit Score.TimeSignature \key b \minor s16 \clef F \key b \minor s^"" }

| relative=D major

| parallel=B major

| dominant=F-sharp minor

| subdominant=E minor

| first_pitch=B

| second_pitch=C{{music|sharp}}

| third_pitch=D

| fourth_pitch=E

| fifth_pitch=F{{music|sharp}}

| sixth_pitch=G

| seventh_pitch=A

}}

B minor is a minor scale based on B, consisting of the pitches B, C♯ (musical note), D, E, F♯ (musical note), 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:

{{block indent|

\header { tagline = ##f }

scale = \relative b { \key b \minor \omit Score.TimeSignature

b^"B natural minor scale" cis d e fis g a b a g fis e d cis b2 \clef F \key b \minor }

\score { { << \cadenzaOn \scale \context NoteNames \scale >> } \layout { } \midi { } }

}}

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

{{block indent|

\header { tagline = ##f }

scale = \relative b { \key b \minor \omit Score.TimeSignature

b^"B harmonic minor scale" cis d e fis g ais b ais g fis e d cis b2 \clef F \key b \minor }

\score { { << \cadenzaOn \scale \context NoteNames \scale >> } \layout { } \midi { } }

}}

{{block indent|

\header { tagline = ##f }

scale = \relative b { \key b \minor \omit Score.TimeSignature

b^"B melodic minor scale (ascending and descending)" cis d e fis gis ais b a! g! fis e d cis b2 \clef F \key b \minor }

\score { { << \cadenzaOn \scale \context NoteNames \scale >> } \layout { } \midi { } }

}}

Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart (1739–1791) regarded B minor as a key expressing a quiet acceptance of fate and very gentle complaint, something commentators find to be in line with Bach's use of the key in his St John Passion.{{sfn|Tusa|1993|loc=pp. 2–3, n. 5}} By the end of the Baroque era, however, conventional academic views of B minor had shifted: Composer-theorist Francesco Galeazzi (1758–1819){{sfn|Galeazzi|1817|p={{page needed|date=February 2021}}}} opined that B minor was not suitable for music in good taste. Beethoven labelled a B-minor melodic idea in one of his sketchbooks as a "black key".{{sfn|Tusa|1993|loc=p. 2, n. 3}}