Relative key A major Subdominant B minor | Dominant key C♯ minor | |
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Parallel key F♯ major
enharmonic: G♭ major | ||
F-sharp minor is a minor scale based on F-sharp, consisting of the pitches F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D, and E. For the harmonic minor, the E is raised to E♯ (enharmonic F♮). Its key signature has three sharps.
Its relative major is A major, and its parallel major is F♯ major (or enharmonically G♭ major). G♭ minor, its enharmonic, has two double-flats, which makes it impractical to use.
Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with accidentals as necessary.
Very few symphonies are written in this key, Haydn's Farewell Symphony being one famous example. George Frederick Bristow and Dora Pejačević also wrote symphonies in this key. This key is relatively common in guitar music (an example of this being Wonderwall by Oasis)
The few concerti written in this key are usually written for the composer himself to play, including Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 1, Scriabin's Piano Concerto, Wieniawski's Violin Concerto No. 1, Vieuxtemps's Violin Concerto No. 2, and Koussevitzky's Double Bass Concerto.
In addition to the Farewell Symphony, Haydn's Piano Trio No. 40 (Hob. XV:26) and String Quartet Op. 50, No. 4 are in F-sharp minor.
Handel set the sixth of his eight harpsichord suites of 1720 in F-sharp minor. Aside from a prelude and fugue from each of the two books of Das Wohltemperierte Klavier, Bach's only other work in F-sharp minor is the Toccata BWV 910. Mozart's only composition in this key is the second movement to his Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major.