F sharp minor

[Mystery]

Thoughts about this key?

Pieces in F# minor?

Is it a key you like to play in? Is it hard? Does it fit the voice well?

Does it have its own 'character' or 'associations'?

I'm very interested to hear everyone's views, especially as I can't find many pieces in it which is very interesting considering there are so many in A major which of course has the same key signature...

Thanks!

[prémont]

Do you presuppose a= 440 or a= 415 or something else?
And which tuning: Mean tone, modified mean tone, equal tuning...

Very important questions in this context.

[BachQ]

Thoughts about this key?

I have some issues with F sharp minor ........

[hornteacher]

The only Symphony I know of in F# minor is Haydn's "Farewell" Symphony (#45).  You'd think more works would be in this key considering one could modulate to the very string-friendly key of A Major.

[not edward]

Don't forget Mahler's unfinished 10th.

[greg]

I have some issues with F sharp minor ........

oh you do?! Then bring it on, buster!
i'm just a major third away, come to my side of town and i'll show you a thing or two about music! hmph!

Don't forget Mahler's unfinished 10th.

0:)

[jochanaan]

Don't forget Mahler's unfinished 10th.

I thought that was in F# MAJOR...

Just listened to Schumann's First Piano Sonata in F# minor over the radio.  Very nice.  I also love the second movement of Mozart's Piano Concerto #23.

[zamyrabyrd]

The only Symphony I know of in F# minor is Haydn's "Farewell" Symphony (#45).  You'd think more works would be in this key considering one could modulate to the very string-friendly key of A Major.

Haydn wrote at least one Piano Trio in F# minor--clever guy. There is also the slow movement of Mozart's A Major PC, and I think, at least two Piano Sonatas by Clementi  The appeal of this key especially for Romantic composers probably had to do with its enharmonic possibilities and ambiguities. The Symphonic Variations of Cesar Franck has its brooding theme in F# minor, most of the other variations in that key and ends with triumphant a F# major.

ZB

[Mystery]

Do you presuppose a= 440 or a= 415 or something else?
And which tuning: Mean tone, modified mean tone, equal tuning...

Very important questions in this context.

A=400, equal tuning. Does this mean your stance might be that there can be no characteristic different to any other key?

[Mystery]

oh you do?! Then bring it on, buster!
i'm just a major third away, come to my side of town and i'll show you a thing or two about music! hmph!
0:)

So why the name? Favourite key? You must know plenty of works...please do share 

[Guido]

I think that its more for comedic effect... since there is someone called D minor... or something.

This is very odd that there are so few pieces with a key signature that has so few accidentals... Probably because I'm a string player, but bizzarely I tend to associate flat keys with minors and sharp keys with majors.

[Mystery]

There seem to be pieces within bigger works but not so many stand-alone pieces. For example:

Bach - Mass in A - Domine Deus
Bach - fugue section of Kyrie of B Minor Mass
Handel - Sonna to asospirar, Guilio Cesare
Handel - Righteousness and Equity...; The Lord that preserveth all them that love him

In what I've looked into so far, there is nothing in Pratorus, Humfrey, Charpentier, Locke, Weelkes, Monteverdi, Telemann, Rameau, Pergolesi, C.P.E. Bach, Schumann, Eton Choirbook... though admittedly it wouldn't have been used in the early times of some of these composers. Though still questionably why.

Is it different to Gb minor? I would definitely say so.

[Mystery]

From later times I have found the following pieces:

String quartet No. 2 - Tippett, Reger
Composition for Organ - 2. Larghetto with variations - S. Wesley
Symphony 45 - Haydn
Piano trio - Haydn
Sonata in F# - Stravinsky
Piano Sonata - Bax
Piano Sonata - Schumann
Symphony 3 - Vierne
String 4tet 7 - Shostakovich
Symphony 10 - Mahler
Piano Concerto No. 1 - Rachmaninov
Concerto for Piano and Orch. - Scriabin
Sonata (piano?) - Beethoven

However I'm primarily looking for choral works. So any help/thoughts would be appreciated!

[Mark G. Simon]

I thought that was in F# MAJOR...

You are correct. It is in F# Major, but somehow it still manages to be incorrectly listed in concert programs, and even CD cases, as being in F# Minor.

[BachQ]

Then bring it on, buster!

Not a problem, dude.  There's a back alley a few blocks from GMG ...... I'll introduce you to my Rottweiler named Beethoven (short for Beethoven Opus 125). 

[Kullervo]

Concerto for Piano and Orch. - Scriabin

In addition to his third sonata.

[johnQpublic]

Chopin - Nocturne, Op. 48 #2 in f# minor
Wienawski - Violin Con #1 in f#

[Kullervo]

Chopin - Nocturne, Op. 48 #2 in f# minor

That's cheating!

[BachQ]

Wienawski - Violin Con #1 in f#

Wieniawski VC #2 in d minor is way, way better ........

[greg]

Not a problem, dude.  There's a back alley a few blocks from GMG ...... I'll introduce you to my Rottweiler named Beethoven (short for Beethoven Opus 125). 

oh yeah, well i have my own gang, yo


we're gonna put a smack-down on your behind!