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A minor (abbreviated Am) is a minor scale
Minor scale

A minor scale in music theory is a diatonic scale with a third scale degree at an Interval of a minor third above the Tonic . While this definition encompasses Musical mode with the minor third, such as Dorian mode, the term may more usually refer only to the natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scales, descri...
 based on A, consisting of the pitches A
A (musical note)

La or A is the sixth note of the solf?ge. "A" is generally used as a standard for tuning. When the orchestra tunes, the oboe plays an "A" and the rest of the instruments tune to match that pitch....
, B
B (musical note)

B, also known as Si or Ti, is the seventh note of the solf?ge.When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 hertz, the frequency of the B note is approximately 493.883 Hz....
, C, D
D (musical note)

D is a musical note a whole tone above C , and is known as Re within the solfege system.When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 hertz, the frequency of middle D is approximately 293.665 Hz....
, E
E (musical note)

E or mi is the third note of the solf?ge.When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 hertz, the frequency of the E note is approximately 329.628 Hz....
, F
F (musical note)

F is the fourth note of the solf?ge.When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 hertz, the frequency of the F note is approximately 349.228 Hz....
, and G
G (musical note)

Sol or G is the fifth note of the solfege.When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 hertz, the frequency of the G note is approximately 391.995 Hz....
. The harmonic minor scale raises the G to G
G? (musical note)

Sol Di?se or G# is the ninth semitone of the solfege.It lies a chromatic semitone above G and a diatonic semitone below A , thus being enharmonic to La B?mol or A? ....
. Its key signature
Key signature

In musical notation, a key signature is a series of Sharp or Flat symbols placed on the staff , designating note s that are to be consistently played one semitone higher or lower than the equivalent natural sign notes unless otherwise altered with an Accidental ....
 has no flats or sharps (see below: Scales and keys).

Its relative major
Relative key

In music, the relative minor of a particular major key is the key which has the same key signature but a different Tonic , as opposed to Parallel key which shares the same tonic....
 is C major
C major

C major is a musical major scale based on C, with pitches C , D , E , F , G , A , and B . Its key signature has no flats/sharps.Its relative key is A minor, and its parallel key is C minor....
, and its parallel major
Parallel key

In music, the parallel minor or tonic minor of a particular major key is the minor key with the same Tonic ; similarly the parallel major has the same tonic as the minor key....
 is A major
A major

A major is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A , B , C? , D , E , F? , and G? . Its key signature has three sharps.Its relative key is F-sharp minor and its parallel key is A minor....
.

Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with accidentals as necessary.

Johann Joachim Quantz
Johann Joachim Quantz

Johann Joachim Quantz was a Germany flute, flute maker and composer....
 considered A minor, along with C minor
C minor

C minor is a minor scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C , D E? , F , G , A? , and B? . The harmonic minor raises the B to B.Its key signature consists of three flats ....
, much more suitable for expressing "the sad effect" than other minor keys (Versuch einer Anweisung die Flöte traversiere zu spielen).

Whereas traditionally key signatures were cancelled whenever the new key signature had fewer sharps or flats than the old key signature, in modern popular and commercial music, cancellation is only done when C major or A minor replaces another key.








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A minor (abbreviated Am) is a minor scale
Minor scale

A minor scale in music theory is a diatonic scale with a third scale degree at an Interval of a minor third above the Tonic . While this definition encompasses Musical mode with the minor third, such as Dorian mode, the term may more usually refer only to the natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scales, descri...
 based on A, consisting of the pitches A
A (musical note)

La or A is the sixth note of the solf?ge. "A" is generally used as a standard for tuning. When the orchestra tunes, the oboe plays an "A" and the rest of the instruments tune to match that pitch....
, B
B (musical note)

B, also known as Si or Ti, is the seventh note of the solf?ge.When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 hertz, the frequency of the B note is approximately 493.883 Hz....
, C, D
D (musical note)

D is a musical note a whole tone above C , and is known as Re within the solfege system.When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 hertz, the frequency of middle D is approximately 293.665 Hz....
, E
E (musical note)

E or mi is the third note of the solf?ge.When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 hertz, the frequency of the E note is approximately 329.628 Hz....
, F
F (musical note)

F is the fourth note of the solf?ge.When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 hertz, the frequency of the F note is approximately 349.228 Hz....
, and G
G (musical note)

Sol or G is the fifth note of the solfege.When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 hertz, the frequency of the G note is approximately 391.995 Hz....
. The harmonic minor scale raises the G to G
G? (musical note)

Sol Di?se or G# is the ninth semitone of the solfege.It lies a chromatic semitone above G and a diatonic semitone below A , thus being enharmonic to La B?mol or A? ....
. Its key signature
Key signature

In musical notation, a key signature is a series of Sharp or Flat symbols placed on the staff , designating note s that are to be consistently played one semitone higher or lower than the equivalent natural sign notes unless otherwise altered with an Accidental ....
 has no flats or sharps (see below: Scales and keys).

Its relative major
Relative key

In music, the relative minor of a particular major key is the key which has the same key signature but a different Tonic , as opposed to Parallel key which shares the same tonic....
 is C major
C major

C major is a musical major scale based on C, with pitches C , D , E , F , G , A , and B . Its key signature has no flats/sharps.Its relative key is A minor, and its parallel key is C minor....
, and its parallel major
Parallel key

In music, the parallel minor or tonic minor of a particular major key is the minor key with the same Tonic ; similarly the parallel major has the same tonic as the minor key....
 is A major
A major

A major is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A , B , C? , D , E , F? , and G? . Its key signature has three sharps.Its relative key is F-sharp minor and its parallel key is A minor....
.

Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with accidentals as necessary.

Johann Joachim Quantz
Johann Joachim Quantz

Johann Joachim Quantz was a Germany flute, flute maker and composer....
 considered A minor, along with C minor
C minor

C minor is a minor scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C , D E? , F , G , A? , and B? . The harmonic minor raises the B to B.Its key signature consists of three flats ....
, much more suitable for expressing "the sad effect" than other minor keys (Versuch einer Anweisung die Flöte traversiere zu spielen).

Whereas traditionally key signatures were cancelled whenever the new key signature had fewer sharps or flats than the old key signature, in modern popular and commercial music, cancellation is only done when C major or A minor replaces another key.

Well-known classical compositions in this key

  • Bagatelle in A minor "Für Elise"
    Für Elise

    "F?r Elise" is the popular name of the Bagatelle in A minor , marked poco moto, a piece of music for solo piano by Ludwig van Beethoven , dated 27 April 1810....
     - Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Violin Concerto in A minor
    Violin Concerto in A minor (Bach)

    The Violin Concerto in A minor by J. S. Bach is a concerto in 3 movements:* Allegro moderato* Andante ? with an ostinato style theme...
     - Johann Sebastian Bach
  • Piano Sonata in A minor, K. 310
    Piano Sonata No. 8 (Mozart)

    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Piano_sonata No. 8 in A_minor, K?chel-Verzeichnis 310 is a Sonata_%28music%29 in three movement :#Tempo#Italian tempo markings...
     - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
  • Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54
    Piano Concerto (Schumann)

    The Piano Concerto in A minor, Op.54, is a famous Romantic music concerto by Robert Schumann, completed in 1845.Schumann had begun several piano concerto before this one: In 1828, he had begun one in E-flat major; from 1829-31 he worked on one in F major, and in 1839, he wrote one movement of a concerto in D minor....
     - Robert Schumann
    Robert Schumann

    Robert Schumann, sometimes given as Robert Alexander Schumann, was a German composer, aesthete and influential music critic. He is one of the most famous Romantic music composers of the 19th century....
  • Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 16
    Piano Concerto (Grieg)

    The Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16 by Edvard Grieg was the only concerto Grieg completed. It is one of his most popular works and among the most popular of all piano concerto....
     - Edvard Grieg
    Edvard Grieg

    Edvard Grieg was a Norway composer and pianist who composed in the Romantic period. He is best known for his Piano Concerto , for his incidental music to Henrik Ibsen's Play Peer Gynt , and for his collection of piano miniatures Lyric Pieces....
  • Oboe Concerto in A Minor
    Oboe Concerto (Vaughan Williams)

    Ralph Vaughan Williams wrote his Concerto in A Minor for Oboe and Strings for soloist L?on Goossens in 1944. This pastoral piece is divided into three movements:...
     - Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Ralph Vaughan Williams Order of Merit was an England composer of symphony, chamber music, opera, choral music, and film Film score. He was also a collector of England folk music and folk song; this also influenced his editorial approach to the English Hymnal, which began in 1904, many folk song arrangements being set as hymn tunes,...
  • Symphony No. 4
    Symphony No. 4 (Sibelius)

    The Symphony No. 4 in A minor, opus number 63, is one of seven Symphony composed by Jean Sibelius. Written between 1910 and 1911, it was premiered in Helsinki on 3 April 1911 by the Philharmonia Society, with Sibelius conducting....
     - Jean Sibelius
    Jean Sibelius

    Johan Julius Christian Sibelius was a Finland composer of the later Romantic music whose music played an important role in the formation of the Finnish national identity....
  • Caprice No. 24 (Paganini) - Niccolo Paganini
    Niccolò Paganini

    Niccol? Paganini was an Italy violinist, viola, classical guitar, and composer. He was one of the most celebrated violin virtuosi of his time, and left his mark as one of the pillars of modern violin technique....
  • Variations on a Theme by Paganini, Op. 35
    Paganini Variations (Brahms)

    The Variations on a Theme of Paganini are a set of theme and variations for solo piano, written by Johannes Brahms . It is well-known for its emotional depth and technical challenge, and its theme is that of the 24th Caprice by Niccol? Paganini....
     - Johannes Brahms
    Johannes Brahms

    Johannes Brahms , composer and pianist, was one of the leading musicians of the Romantic music. Born in Hamburg, Brahms spent much of his professional life in Vienna, Austria, where he was a leader of the musical scene....
  • Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini - Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Sergei Rachmaninoff

    Sergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff was a Russian composer, pianist, and conducting. He was one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, the last great representative of Russian late Romantic music in classical music....
See also: List of symphonies in A minor
List of symphonies in A minor

This is a list of symphonies in A minor, to include all symphony in the key of A minor written by notable composers, even when the particular symphony in question is one of the least performed by a famous composer....

Scales and keys