F-sharp minor

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 major is A major and its parallel major is F-sharp major (or enharmonically G-flat major).

F-sharp minor
{ \magnifyStaff #3/2 \omit Score.TimeSignature \key fis \minor s16 \clef F \key fis \minor s^"" }
Relative keyA major
Parallel keyF-sharp major
Dominant keyC-sharp minor
SubdominantB minor
Component pitches
F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D, E


The F-sharp natural minor scale is:

{ \omit Score.TimeSignature \relative c' { \key fis \minor \time 7/4 fis^"Natural minor scale" gis a b cis d e fis e d cis b a gis fis2 \clef F \key fis \minor } }

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:

{ \omit Score.TimeSignature \relative c' { \key fis \minor \time 7/4 fis^"Harmonic minor scale" gis a b cis d eis fis eis d cis b a gis fis2 } }
{ \omit Score.TimeSignature \relative c' { \key fis \minor \time 7/4 fis^"Melodic minor scale (ascending and descending)" gis a b cis dis eis fis e? d? cis b a gis fis2 } }

Scale degree chords

Music in F-sharp minor

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. 23 in A 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 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

References
  1. Hopkins, Antony (1964). Talking About Concertos. London: Heinemann. p. 30.

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