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F minor
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<h2 id="scale-degree-chords">Scale degree chords</h2> <p>The <a href="/facts/Scale_degree/XooEJJya">scale degree</a> chords of F minor are: </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Tonic_(music)/3YWh9zFV">Tonic</a> – F minor</li> <li><a href="/facts/Supertonic/yrYUUqyS">Supertonic</a> – <a href="/facts/Diminished_triad/M5G6mgsu">G diminished</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Mediant/KjHgHP56">Mediant</a> – <a href="/facts/A-flat_major/BFbETWvq">A-flat major</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Subdominant/0lfRwEfa">Subdominant</a> – <a href="/facts/B-flat_minor/NLJSNXGy">B-flat minor</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Dominant_(music)/g5sd8AHg">Dominant</a> – <a href="/facts/C_minor/xzmvlUdA">C minor</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Submediant/hLhXdzfM">Submediant</a> – <a href="/facts/D-flat_major/9kMbeHvT">D-flat major</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Subtonic/nA0NBIkR">Subtonic</a> – <a href="/facts/E-flat_major/jyImE3jI">E-flat major</a></li></ul> <h2 id="music-in-f-minor">Music in F minor</h2> <p>Famous pieces in the key of F minor include <a href="/facts/Ludwig_van_Beethoven/eusBgBkA">Beethoven</a>'s <i><a href="/facts/Piano_Sonata_No._23_(Beethoven)/lmG4mfgn">Appassionata Sonata</a></i>, <a href="/facts/Fr%25C3%25A9d%25C3%25A9ric_Chopin/xWo0soVB">Chopin</a>'s <a href="/facts/Piano_Concerto_No._2_(Chopin)/0YDtghFR">Piano Concerto No. 2</a>, <a href="/facts/Ballade_No._4_(Chopin)/n53WtrLQ">Ballade No. 4</a>, <a href="/facts/Joseph_Haydn/z7NDdYag">Haydn</a>'s <a href="/facts/Symphony_No._49_(Haydn)/5B3vBCd4">Symphony No. 49, <i>La Passione</i></a> and <a href="/facts/Pyotr_Ilyich_Tchaikovsky/IhyaS2Q8">Tchaikovsky</a>’s <a href="/facts/Symphony_No._4_(Tchaikovsky)/eRkXVeA4">Symphony No. 4</a>. </p><p><a href="/facts/Glenn_Gould/DUqCztUH">Glenn Gould</a> once said if he could be any key, he would be F minor, because "it's rather dour, halfway between complex and stable, between upright and lascivious, between gray and highly tinted... There is a certain obliqueness."<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a> </p><p><a href="/facts/Hermann_von_Helmholtz/oFISedae">Hermann von Helmholtz</a> once described F minor as harrowing and melancholy. <a href="/facts/Christian_Schubart/gjk8sebR">Christian Schubart</a> described this key as "Deep depression, funereal lament, groans of misery and longing for the grave".<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> </p> <h3>Notable compositions</h3> <p class="note">See also: <a href="/facts/List_of_symphonies_in_F_minor/LL8t3G7U">List of symphonies in F minor</a></p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Giovanni_Battista_Pergolesi/eJXlHemm">Giovanni Battista Pergolesi</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Stabat_Mater_(Pergolesi)/YPxoIcdp">Stabat Mater</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Antonio_Vivaldi/YNwbAelf">Antonio Vivaldi</a> <ul><li>"Winter" from <i><a href="/facts/The_Four_Seasons_(Vivaldi)/MEVY2HcP">The Four Seasons</a></i>, RV 297</li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Johann_Sebastian_Bach/qA71yhEb">Johann Sebastian Bach</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/BWV_1056/JBFD8alY">Harpsichord Concerto No. 5</a>, BWV 1056</li> <li>"<a href="/facts/Orgelb%25C3%25BCchlein/YM9yK1ep">Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ</a>", BWV 639</li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Joseph_Haydn/z7NDdYag">Joseph Haydn</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Symphony_No._49_(Haydn)/5B3vBCd4">Symphony No. 49</a> ("La Passione")</li> <li><a href="/facts/Variations_in_F_minor/ztmzYwgB">Variations in F minor</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Wolfgang_Amadeus_Mozart/2X5fm67T">Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/The_Marriage_of_Figaro/VF8h9XQl">Aria "L'ho perduta, me meschina"</a> from <i>The Marriage of Figaro</i>, act 4</li> <li><a href="/facts/Adagio_and_Allegro_in_F_minor_for_a_mechanical_organ%2c_K._594/HatKJ5CQ">Adagio and Allegro in F minor for a mechanical organ, K. 594</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Jan_Ladislav_Dussek/LH2Ft7fc">Jan Ladislav Dussek</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Piano_Sonata_No._28_(Dussek)/bJvv4Nxz">Piano Sonata No. 28 in F minor "L'invocation", Op. 77</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Ludwig_van_Beethoven/eusBgBkA">Ludwig van Beethoven</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Egmont_(Beethoven)/Ry3DbJfy">Egmont</a>, Op. 84: Overture in F minor</li> <li><a href="/facts/Piano_Sonata_No._1_(Beethoven)/YfqNpSXb">Piano Sonata No. 1</a>, Op. 2/1</li> <li><a href="/facts/Piano_Sonata_No._23_(Beethoven)/lmG4mfgn">Piano Sonata No. 23 (Appassionata)</a>, Op. 57</li> <li><a href="/facts/String_Quartet_No._11_(Beethoven)/AQlpClVy">String Quartet No. 11 "Serioso"</a>, Op. 95</li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Felix_Mendelssohn/vYF5sApb">Felix Mendelssohn</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/String_Quartet_No._6_(Mendelssohn)/b90wjbm9">String Quartet No. 6</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Organ_Sonatas_(Mendelssohn)/ugXsaGU1">Organ Sonata, Op. 65, No. 1</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Carl_Maria_von_Weber/1BVp5JJR">Carl Maria von Weber</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Clarinet_Concerto_No._1_(Weber)/3JKaDv2T">Clarinet Concerto No. 1</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Konzertst%25C3%25BCck_in_F_minor_(Weber)/dFmTCxlS">Konzertstück in F minor</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Fr%25C3%25A9d%25C3%25A9ric_Chopin/xWo0soVB">Frédéric Chopin</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Ballade_No._4_(Chopin)/n53WtrLQ">Ballade No. 4</a>, Op. 52</li> <li><a href="/facts/Fantaisie_in_F_minor_(Chopin)/meCBJsuY">Fantaisie in F minor, Op. 49</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Trois_nouvelles_%25C3%25A9tudes/vQsnUAIG">Trois nouvelles études</a>, No. 1</li> <li><a href="/facts/%25C3%2589tude_Op._10%2c_No._9_(Chopin)/uUDl8Abj">Étude Op. 10, No. 9</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/%25C3%2589tude_Op._25%2c_No._2_(Chopin)/sTgyXtIX">Étude Op. 25, No. 2 "Bees"</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Preludes_(Chopin)/SnsPtRnW">Prelude Op. 28, No. 18 "Suicide"</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Piano_Concerto_No._2_(Chopin)/0YDtghFR">Piano Concerto No. 2</a>, Op. 21</li> <li><a href="/facts/Nocturnes%2c_Op._55_(Chopin)/gzxEIEpJ">Nocturne in F minor, Op. 55 No. 1</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Mazurkas%2c_Op._63_(Chopin)/HnsbeuHW">Mazurka, Op. 63 No. 2</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Mazurkas%2c_Op._68_(Chopin)/28fKyCQ8">Mazurka, Op. 68 No. 4 (Posthumous)</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Charles-Valentin_Alkan/30eKjlsT">Charles-Valentin Alkan</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Preludes%2c_Op._31_(Alkan)/BNVz6jFW">Prelude, Op. 31, No. 2 (Assez lentement)</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Symphony_for_Solo_Piano_(Alkan)/yB5a9ogK">Symphony for Solo Piano, 2nd movement: Marche funèbre</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Franz_Liszt/Ihep88h9">Franz Liszt</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Fun%25C3%25A9railles/snWf7J8V">Funérailles</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Transcendental_%25C3%2589tude_No._10_(Liszt)/635GAFTp">Transcendental Étude No. 10 "Appassionata"</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Three_Concert_%25C3%2589tudes/N3WPeFG6">Trois études de concert, No. 2 "La leggierezza"</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Franz_Schubert/M5UAjUp7">Franz Schubert</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Fantasia_in_F_minor_(Schubert)/FeW1Cagg">Fantasia in F minor</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Impromptus_(Schubert)/aIpyoEkP">Impromptu No. 1</a>, Op. 142</li> <li><a href="/facts/Impromptus_(Schubert)/aIpyoEkP">Impromptu No. 4</a>, Op. 142</li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Robert_Schumann/tafbz8oo">Robert Schumann</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Piano_Sonata_No._3_(Schumann)/7koqAXSc">Piano Sonata No. 3</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Johannes_Brahms/wr1Qo5Jh">Johannes Brahms</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Piano_Quintet_(Brahms)/gzWpDzan">Piano Quintet</a>, Op. 34</li> <li><a href="/facts/Piano_Sonata_No._3_(Brahms)/HGcUU3Iu">Piano Sonata No. 3</a>, Op. 5</li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Pyotr_Ilyich_Tchaikovsky/IhyaS2Q8">Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Symphony_No._4_(Tchaikovsky)/eRkXVeA4">Symphony No. 4</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/The_Tempest_(Tchaikovsky)/xbaANfFy">The Tempest</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Anton_Bruckner/l4FxQ5LX">Anton Bruckner</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Mass_No._3_(Bruckner)/awsP0Ppl">Mass No. 3</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Alexander_Borodin/44zKv8nS">Alexander Borodin</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/List_of_compositions_by_Alexander_Borodin/JQDDrnab">String Quintet</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Paul_Dukas/cSrjFtI4">Paul Dukas</a> <ul><li><i><a href="/facts/The_Sorcerer%2527s_Apprentice_(Dukas)/6YhGAXAJ">The Sorcerer's Apprentice</a></i> (<i>L'apprenti sorcier</i>)</li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Ralph_Vaughan_Williams/gaN22aBl">Ralph Vaughan Williams</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/English_Folk_Song_Suite/2pACXJbQ">English Folk Songs</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Symphony_No._4_(Vaughan_Williams)/Bf6tLeCe">Symphony No. 4</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Tuba_Concerto_(Vaughan_Williams)/4G4S798X">Tuba Concerto in F minor</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Dmitri_Shostakovich/oTL9hCS8">Dmitri Shostakovich</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Symphony_No._1_(Shostakovich)/dvn2xAof">Symphony No. 1</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/String_Quartet_No._11_(Shostakovich)/FPJ6PwRD">String Quartet No. 11</a>, Op. 122</li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Max_Reger/42ULKLJG">Max Reger</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Piano_Concerto_(Reger)/l9dVFcrA">Piano Concerto in F minor</a>, Op. 114</li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/Johann_Pachelbel/B7NluXXp">Johann Pachelbel</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Chaconne_in_F_minor/bsP6vrF1">Chaconne in F minor</a></li></ul></li></ul> <h2 id="e-sharp-minor">E-sharp minor</h2> <p>E-sharp minor is a <a href="/facts/Key_(music)/jo4UMbHp">key</a> based on the <a href="/facts/Musical_note/spIQyV4T">musical note</a> <a href="/facts/E%25E2%2599%25AF_(musical_note)/6t4SySvR">E♯</a>, consisting of the pitches E♯, F, <a href="/facts/G%25E2%2599%25AF_(musical_note)/YRAM6mfo">G♯</a>, <a href="/facts/A%25E2%2599%25AF_(musical_note)/mFB5d07P">A♯</a>, <a href="/facts/B%25E2%2599%25AF_(musical_note)/FdvRz0zL">B♯</a>, <a href="/facts/C%25E2%2599%25AF_(musical_note)/JbqHdRr0">C♯</a> and <a href="/facts/D%25E2%2599%25AF_(musical_note)/bKYazWEs">D♯</a>. Its key signature has eight sharps, requiring one <a href="/facts/Double-sharp/dUgIJtHX">double sharp</a> and six single <a href="/facts/Sharp_(music)/dUgIJtHX">sharps</a>. Because E-sharp minor requires eight sharps, including the F, it is almost always notated as its <a href="/facts/Enharmonic_equivalence/lSwDb7JN">enharmonic</a> equivalent of F minor, with four <a href="/facts/Flat_(music)/gS2acguR">flats</a>. The same is true of the <a href="/facts/Relative_key/tzMfs5bS">relative major</a> of <a href="/facts/G-sharp_major/BAwoC3bq">G-sharp major</a>, usually replaced by <a href="/facts/A-flat_major/BFbETWvq">A-flat major</a>. E-sharp major, the <a href="/facts/Parallel_key/5gWFtR2U">parallel major</a>, would be replaced by <a href="/facts/F_major/hSP9tBgs">F major</a>, since E-sharp major requires four double-sharps. </p><p>The E-sharp <a href="/facts/Natural_minor_scale/MedkQtlE">natural minor scale</a> is: </p> Audio playback is not supported in your browser. You can download the audio file. <p>Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with accidentals as necessary. The E-sharp <a href="/facts/Harmonic_minor_scale/MedkQtlE">harmonic minor</a> and <a href="/facts/Melodic_minor_scale/MedkQtlE">melodic minor scales</a> are: </p> Audio playback is not supported in your browser. You can download the audio file. Audio playback is not supported in your browser. You can download the audio file. <p>Although E-sharp minor is usually notated as F minor, it could be used on a local level, such as bars 17 to 22 in <a href="/facts/Johann_Sebastian_Bach/qA71yhEb">Johann Sebastian Bach</a>'s <i><a href="/facts/The_Well-Tempered_Clavier/nJWK5Rzb">The Well-Tempered Clavier</a></i>, Book 1, <a href="/facts/Prelude_and_Fugue_in_C-sharp_major%2c_BWV_848/SAQSk2bl">Prelude and Fugue in C-sharp major, BWV 848</a>. (E-sharp minor is the <a href="/facts/Mediant/KjHgHP56">mediant</a> minor key of <a href="/facts/C-sharp_major/SLVFgxFw">C-sharp major</a>.) </p><p>The scale-degree chords of E-sharp minor are: </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Tonic_(music)/3YWh9zFV">Tonic</a> – E-sharp minor</li> <li><a href="/facts/Supertonic/yrYUUqyS">Supertonic</a> – <a href="/facts/Diminished_triad/M5G6mgsu">F-double-sharp diminished</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Mediant/KjHgHP56">Mediant</a> – <a href="/facts/G-sharp_major/BAwoC3bq">G-sharp major</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Subdominant/0lfRwEfa">Subdominant</a> – <a href="/facts/A-sharp_minor/vDywpnfx">A-sharp minor</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Dominant_(music)/g5sd8AHg">Dominant</a> – <a href="/facts/B-sharp_minor/wYdtMQEh">B-sharp minor</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Submediant/hLhXdzfM">Submediant</a> – <a href="/facts/C-sharp_major/SLVFgxFw">C-sharp major</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Subtonic/nA0NBIkR">Subtonic</a> – <a href="/facts/D-sharp_major/wYdtMQEh">D-sharp major</a></li></ul> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Key_(music)/jo4UMbHp">Key (music)</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Major_and_minor/KCv5M0yN">Major and minor</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Chord_(music)/hJBCHCSB">Chord (music)</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Chord_notation/lv9LbnVT">Chord notation</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Key_signature/Pz4Gkn9N">Key signature#Double flats and sharps</a></li></ul> <h2 id="notes">Notes</h2> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li> Media related to F minor at Wikimedia Commons</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Cathering Meng, Tonight's the Night (Apostrophe Books, 2007): 21 <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Affective Musical Key Characteristics". legacy.wmich.edu. Western Michigan University. Retrieved 20 March 2025. <a href="https://legacy.wmich.edu/mus-theo/courses/keys.html" target="_blank">https://legacy.wmich.edu/mus-theo/courses/keys.html</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>