B flat major

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

B♭ major

Relative key	G minor
Parallel key	B♭ minor
Component pitches
B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G, A, B♭

B flat major is a major scale based on B flat, consisting of the pitches B flat, C, D, E flat, F, G, A, and B flat. Its key signature consists of two flats.

Its relative minor is G minor, and its parallel minor is B flat minor.

B flat major is a suitable key for most wind instruments, especially those for which it is their home key, such as clarinets and trumpets in B flat.

Haydn's Symphony No. 98 is the first symphony he (or anyone else) wrote in that key in which he included trumpet and timpani parts. He wrote the timpani part at actual pitch with an F major key signature (instead of transposing with a C major key signature), a procedure that made sense since he limited that instrument to the tonic and dominant pitches.^[1] Many editions of the work, however, use no key signature and specify the instrument as "Timpani in B flat - F." (Note that in German, the pitch B flat is called "B", and B natural is "H", thus the specification for timpani in a B-flat work could be written "Pauken in B. - F.")

Five of Mozart's piano concerti are in B-flat major.

Contents 1 Well known classical compositions in this key 2 Well known songs/contemporary pieces in this key 3 Reference 4 External links

[edit] Well known classical compositions in this key

• Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 4
• Ludwig van Beethoven: "Hammerklavier" Sonata
• Johannes Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2, Haydn Variations
• Anton Bruckner: Symphony No. 5
• Edward Elgar: The theme of "Enigma" Variations
• Sergei Prokofiev: Symphony No. 5, Op.100
• Franz Schubert: Symphony No. 5

[edit] Well known songs/contemporary pieces in this key

• The Internationale - Eugene Pottier (Soviet version)
• 20th Century Fox Fanfare - Lionel Newman
• Star Wars Main Theme -John Williams
• Star Trek: The Original Series theme - Alexander Courage
• Sunshine on My Shoulders - John Denver
• All I Really Want - Alanis Morissette
• La Marseillaise - Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle (French National Anthem)
• Ray of Light - Madonna
• Il Canto degli Italiani - Michele Novaro (Italian National Anthem)
• In The Ghetto - Elvis Presley
• Purple Rain - Prince
• One Love/People Get Ready - Bob Marley
• Karma Chameleon - Culture Club
• Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen (with 'opera' section in A major)
• Mandy - Barry Manilow
• Venus - Frankie Avalon
• The Legend of Zelda Overture - Koji Kondo
• Strawberry Fields Forever - The Beatles (even though it was spliced from two different takes in two different keys)
• Walk Like a Man - The Four Seasons (bridge in E flat major)
• Rag Doll - The Four Seasons
• Land of Make Believe - Chuck Mangione
• My Guy - Mary Wells
• Just You 'n' Me - Chicago
• Na Na Na Na Say Hey Kiss Him Goodbye - Steam

Diatonic Scales and Keys
	Flats Sharps Major minor Major minor 0 C (Major), a (minor) 1 F d G e 2 B♭ g D b 3 E♭ c A f♯ 4 A♭ f E c♯ 5 D♭ b♭ B g♯ 6 G♭ e♭ F♯ d♯ 7 C♭ a♭ C♯ a♯
lower case letters are minor the table indicates the number of sharps or flats in each scale

[edit] Reference

1. ^ H. C. Robbins Landon, Haydn Symphonies London: British Broadcasting Corporation (1966): 57

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: B flat major

• B Flat Major - Free B Flat Major Scale Print Out with Arpeggios and Broken Chords for Piano with Fingering