Beethoven: Sonata opus 28 ‘Pastorale’
D minor
The key signature of D minor has one flat. Its relative major is F major. Its tonic major
is D major. The natural minor scale of D minor consists of the notes D, E, F, G, A, B flat,
C and D. D minor is one of the two flat key signatures that require a sharp for the leading
note to form the harmonic minor. The other is G minor. Of Scarlatti’s 555 keyboard
sonatas, 151 are in minor keys and D minor is the most often chosen minor key, with 32
sonatas. Famous pieces in D minor are: Bach’s Chaconne from his partita for violin solo
no. 2, the whole of his ‘The Art of Fugue’, two of his organ toccatas, Mozart’s Requiem,
Beethoven’s ninth symphony, Sibelius’s violin concerto and Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnol.
Some piano pieces in D minor:
Bach/Busoni: Chaconne BWV 1004
Mozart: Piano concerto no. 20 K466
Mozart: Fantasy K397
Beethoven: Sonata opus 31 no. 2 ‘Tempest’
Schubert: Song ‘Death and the Maiden’ D 810
Schubert/Liszt: ‘Serenade’ D 957
Mendelssohn: Variations Sérieuses opus 54
Rachmaninoff: Piano concerto no. 3 opus 28
Prokofiev: Toccata opus 11
E flat major
The key signature of E flat major has three flats. Its relative minor is C minor. Its tonic
minor is E flat minor. The scale of E flat major consists of the notes E flat, F, G, A flat.
B flat, C, D and E flat. The key of E flat major is often associated with bold, heroic
music. Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony and ‘Emperor’ piano concerto are in E flat major.
Horn concertos and other pieces having a major part for horn are often in E flat major.
Some piano pieces in E flat major:
Haydn: Sonata no. 62 H XVI/52