B-flat minor
B-flat minor is a key of the tonal family minor, based on the root note b. The key of B-flat minor is written in musical notation with five ♭ (B-flat, E-flat, A-flat, D-flat, G-flat). The corresponding scale and the fundamental chord of this key (the tonic b-des-f) are also designated by the term b minor.
B-flat minor was not very common before the advent of equal temperament, so that it is mainly works of the Romantic period that are written in this key.
Key classification
| Keys and their accidentals | |||||||||||||||
| Portent: | 7 ♭ | 6 ♭ | 5 ♭ | 4 ♭ | 3 ♭ | 2 ♭ | 1 ♭ | 0 ♭/♯ | 1 ♯ | 2 ♯ | 3 ♯ | 4 ♯ | 5 ♯ | 6 ♯ | 7 ♯ |
| Major keys: | Ces | Ges | Des | As | It | B | F | C | G | D | A | E | H | F# | C sharp |
| Minor keys: | as | it | b | f | c | g | d | a | e | h | F# | cis | gis | dis | ais |
Questions and Answers
Q: What is B-flat minor?
A: B-flat minor is a minor scale based on B-flat. It has five flats in its key signature and its relative major is D-flat major, while its parallel major is B-flat major. Its enharmonic equivalent is A-sharp minor.
Q: How would one describe the feeling of playing in B-flat minor?
A: Tchaikovsky said that the oboe solo in B-flat minor in the second movement of his Symphony No. 4 was "the feeling that you get when you are all alone".
Q: Why was it difficult to play in this key on old valveless horns?
A: Old valveless horns had difficulty playing easily in B-flat minor due to their limited range and technical limitations.
Q: Is there any example of 18th century music written for this key?
A: The only example found from 18th century music is a modulation in the first minuet of Franz Krommer's Concertino in D major, Opus 80.
Q: What does enharmonic mean?
A: Enharmonic refers to two notes with different names but same pitch, such as C sharp and D flat. In this case, the enharmonic equivalent of B flat minor is A sharp minor.
Q: Is there any other way to describe how it feels to play in this key?
A: Other than Tchaikovsky's description, there isn't another specific way to describe how it feels to play in this key since everyone experiences music differently.
