E♭ (E-flat) or mi bémol is the fourth semitone of the solfege.
Contents
- Well known compositions in E flat major
- Common scales beginning on E
- Diatonic scales
- Jazz Melodic Minor
- References
It lies a diatonic semitone above D and a chromatic semitone below E, thus being enharmonic to D♯ (D-sharp) or Re Dièse. In equal temperament it is also enharmonic with F. However, in some temperaments, D-sharp is not the same as E-flat. E-flat is a perfect fifth below B♭, whereas D-sharp is a major third above B.
When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 Hz, the frequency of the E♭ above middle C (or E♭4) is approximately 311.127 Hz. See pitch (music) for a discussion of historical variations in frequency.
Well-known compositions in E-flat major
The prelude to Richard Wagner's Das Rheingold is a famous piece of drone music that begin with a low E flat and builds to more and more elaborate figurations of the chord of E flat major. It is used in this opera to portray the motion of the river Rhine.
Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5 (also known as The Emperor) and Symphony No. 3 (also known as the Eroica) are two more well-known piece set in the key of E-flat major. Robert Schumann's Symphony No. 3 (also known as the Rhenish Symphony) is yet another.
Jimi Hendrix's Voodoo Chile is a well-known popular music piece commonly performed in E-flat major.