B-flat minor

B♭ minor
Relative key D♭ major
Parallel key B♭ major
Dominant key F minor
Subdominant E♭ minor
enharmonic: D♯ minor
Enharmonic A♯ minor
Component pitches
B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G♭, A♭

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 five flats. Its relative major is D♭ major and its parallel major is B♭ major. Its enharmonic equivalent, A♯ minor, which would contain seven sharps, is not normally used.

The B♭ natural minor scale is:

{ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \relative c' { \clef treble \key bes \minor \time 7/4 bes4^\markup { Natural minor scale } c des es f ges aes bes aes ges f es des c bes2 } }

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:

{ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \relative c' { \clef treble \key bes \minor \time 7/4 bes4^\markup { Harmonic minor scale } c des es f ges a bes a ges f es des c bes2 } }
{ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \relative c' { \clef treble \key bes \minor \time 7/4 bes4^\markup { Melodic minor scale (ascending and descending) } c des es f g a bes aes! ges! f es des c bes2 } }

Characteristics

B♭ minor is traditionally a 'dark' key.[1] Important oboe solos in this key in the orchestral literature include the second movement of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4, which depicts "the feeling that you get when you are all alone" in Tchaikovsky's words. Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 is also in B♭ minor. An Alpine Symphony by Richard Strauss begins and ends in B♭ minor.

The old valveless horn was barely capable of playing in B♭ minor; the only example found in 18th-century music is a modulation that occurs in the first minuet of Franz Krommer's Concertino in D major, Op. 80.[2]

Notable classical compositions

References

  1. ↑ Wilfred Mellers, "Round and About in Górecki's Symphony No. 3" Tempo 168 3 (1989): 23
  2. ↑ J. Murray Barbour, Trumpets, Horns, and Music (1964), p. 163
  3. ↑ Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 35 (Chopin, Frédéric): Scores at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)
  4. ↑ Nocturnes, Op. 9 (Chopin, Frédéric): Scores at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)
  5. ↑ Scherzo No. 2, Op. 31 (Chopin, Frédéric): Scores at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)
  6. ↑ Preludes, Op.28 (Chopin, Frédéric): Scores at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)
  7. ↑ Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 23 (Tchaikovsky, Pyotr): Scores at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)
Circle of fifths
FlatsSharps
MajorminorMajorminor
0CaCa
1FdGe
2B♭gDb
3E♭cAf♯
4A♭fEc♯
5D♭b♭Bg♯
6G♭e♭F♯d♯
7C♭a♭C♯a♯
8F♭d♭G♯e♯
The table indicates the number of sharps or flats in each scale. Minor scales are written in lower case.
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