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F-sharp minor

{{Short description|Minor scale based on the note F♯}}

{{Infobox musical scale

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

| relative=A major

| parallel=F-sharp major

| dominant=C-sharp minor

| subdominant=B minor

| first_pitch=F{{music|sharp}}

| second_pitch=G{{music|sharp}}

| third_pitch=A

| fourth_pitch=B

| fifth_pitch=C{{music|sharp}}

| sixth_pitch=D

| seventh_pitch=E

}}

F-sharp minor is a minor scale based on F♯ (musical note), consisting of the pitches F{{music|sharp}}, G♯ (musical note), A, B, C♯ (musical note), D, and E. Its key signature has three sharps. Its relative major is A major and its parallel major is F-sharp major (or enharmonically G-flat major).

The F-sharp natural minor scale is:

{{block indent|

\header { tagline = ##f }

scale = \relative a { \key fis \minor \omit Score.TimeSignature

fis'^"F♯ natural minor scale" gis a b cis d e fis e d cis b a gis fis2 \clef F \key fis \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 F-sharp harmonic minor and melodic minor scales are:

{{block indent|

\header { tagline = ##f }

scale = \relative a { \key fis \minor \omit Score.TimeSignature

fis'^"F♯ harmonic minor scale" gis a b cis d eis fis eis! d cis b a gis fis2 \clef F \key fis \minor }

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

}}

{{block indent|

\header { tagline = ##f }

scale = \relative a { \key fis \minor \omit Score.TimeSignature

fis'^"F♯ melodic minor scale (ascending and descending)" gis a b cis dis eis fis e? d? cis b a gis fis2 \clef F \key fis \minor }

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

}}

Scale degree chords

The scale degree chords of F-sharp minor are:

Music in F-sharp minor

Very few symphonies are written in this key, Haydn's "Farewell Symphony" being one famous example. George Frederick BristowBristow, George Frederick. Symphonie in F# minor, op. 36. August 1858. {{LCCN|2006563805}} and Dora Pejačević wrote symphonies in this key.{{cite web |title=Prom 40: Martin Helmchen plays Brahms |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/events/erjqwh |website=BBC Music Events|date=14 August 2023}}

The few concertos 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 the fourth quartet from the 'Prussian' Quartets are in F-sharp minor.

More prominent keyboard pieces written in F-sharp minor include Handel's Keyboard Suite HWV 431, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's Fantasia H. 300, Carel Anton Fodor's Sonata Op. 2/2, Muzio Clementi's Piano Sonata Op. 25/5, Dussek's Sonata Op. 61 ('Élégie Harmonique'), Ignaz Moscheles's Sonate mélancolique, Op. 49, Hélène de Montgeroult's Piano Sonata Op. 5/3, Schumann's Sonata No. 1 in F-sharp minor (1833–35), Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No.2 second movement "Friska", Clara Schumann's Prelude and Fugue ICS 18, Chopin's Polonaise in F-sharp minor, Op. 44 (Chopin), Scriabin's Third Sonata, and Ravel's Sonatine. The slow movement of Beethoven's Hammerklavier piano sonata is written in this key.

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. 23 in A major.{{cite book|last=Hopkins|first=Antony|author-link=Antony Hopkins|title=Talking About Concertos|page=30|location=London|year=1964|publisher=Heinemann}}

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 Humoresque in G-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 ==

{{See also|List of symphonies in F-sharp minor}}

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References

{{Reflist}}

Further reading

  • {{cite magazine|author=Anthony Morris|title=Symphonies, Numbers and Keys|magazine=Bob's Poetry Magazine|date=March 2006|volume=III|issue=3|pages=4–21|url=http://bobspoetry.com/Bobs03Mr.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928044823/http://bobspoetry.com/Bobs03Mr.pdf|archive-date=28 September 2007|ref=none}}

External links

  • {{Commons category-inline|F-sharp minor}}
  • {{IMSLP|work=Category:F-sharp_minor|cname=Compositions in F-sharp minor}}

{{Circle of fifths}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:F-Sharp Minor}}

Category:Musical keys

Category:Minor scales