F major
The key signature of F major has one flat. Its relative minor is D minor. Its tonic minor
is F minor. The scale of F major consists of the following notes: F, G, A, B flat, C, D, E
and F. The following pieces are in the key of F major: Beethoven’s symphony no. 6
‘Pastoral’ and no. 8, Brahms’s symphony no. 4 and ‘A German Requiem’, Mahler’s
‘Adagietto’, and Mascagni’s Intermezzo from ‘Cavalleria Rustucana’. The key of F
major is very often used for contemporary light music.
Some piano pieces in F major:
Bach: ‘Italian’ Concerto BWV 971
Beethoven: Sonatas opus 14 no. 1 and opus 54
Schumann: ‘Träumerei’ from Kinderszenen opus 5
Brahms: Romance opus 118 no. 5
Saint-Saëns: Piano concerto no. 5 opus 103 ‘Egyptian’
Shostakovich: Piano concerto no. 2 opus 102
F minor
The key signature of F minor has four flats. Its relative major is A flat major. Its tonic
major is F major. The natural minor scale of F minor consists of the notes F, G, A flat, B
flat, C, D flat, E flat and F. In the harmonic minor scale the E flat becomes E natural.
The key of F minor is often associated with passion. Famous pieces in F minor include
Haydn’s Symphony no. 49 ‘La Passione’ and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony no. 4.
Some piano pieces in F minor are:
Beethoven: Sonata opus 57 ‘Appassionata’
Schubert: Fantasy (four hands) opus 103 D 940
Chopin: Piano Concerto no. 2 opus 21
Chopin: Ballade no. 4 opus 52 and Fantasy opus 49
Brahms: Piano Quintet opus 34
F sharp major (G flat major)