D major

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D major

Also see: D minor
D minor

D minor is a minor scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D , E , F , G , A , B? , and C . In the harmonic minor, the C is raised to C? . Its key signature has one flat ....
, or D-flat major.

D major (or the key of D) is a major scale

Major scale

In music theory, the major scale or Ionian mode scale is one of the diatonic scale Musical scales. It is made up of seven distinct notes, plus an eighth which duplicates the first an octave higher....
based on 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....
, consisting of the pitches D, 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 seventh semitone of the solfege.It lies a chromatic semitone above F and a diatonic semitone below G , thus being enharmonic to Sol B?mol or G ....
, 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....
, 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....
, and C

C? (musical note)

C is a musical note lying a chromatic semitone above C and a diatonic semitone below D . C sharp is thus enharmonic to D . It is the second semitone in the French solfege and is known there as Do Di?se....
. 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 ....
consists of two sharps. Its relative minor

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 B minor

B minor

B minor is a minor scale based on B, consisting of the pitches B , C? , D , E , F? , G , and A . The harmonic minor raises the A to A. Its key signature has two sharps linked Scales/keys below ....
and its parallel minor

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 D minor

D minor

D minor is a minor scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D , E , F , G , A , B? , and C . In the harmonic minor, the C is raised to C? . Its key signature has one flat ....
.

D major is well-suited to violin

Violin

The violin is a Bow string instrument with four strings usually tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest and highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which also includes the viola and cello....
music because of the structure of the instrument, which is tuned G D A E. The open strings resonate sympathetically with the D string, producing a sound that is especially brilliant.

It is thus no coincidence that many classical composer

Composer

A composer is a person who creates music, usually in the medium of musical notation, for interpretation and performance. The level of distinction between composers and other musicians varies, which affects issues such as copyright and the deference given to individual interpretations of a particular piece of music....
s throughout the centuries have chosen to write violin concerto

Violin concerto

A violin concerto is a concerto for solo violin and instrumental ensemble, customarily orchestra. Such works have been written since the Baroque music period, when the solo concerto form was first developed, up through the present day....
s in D major, including those by Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Violin Concerto No. 2 (Mozart)

Violin Concerto No. 2 in D major K?chel-Verzeichnis 211 was composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1775. The concerto has the usual fast-slow-fast structure....
, No. 4, 1775

Violin Concerto No. 4 (Mozart)

Violin Concerto No. 4 in D major K. 218 was composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1775 in Salzburg. The autograph of the score is preserved in Biblioteka Jagiellonska, Krak?w....
); Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. He was a crucial figure in the transitional period between the Classical music era and Romantic music eras in classical music, and remains one of the most acclaimed and influential composers of all time....
(1806

Violin Concerto (Beethoven)

Ludwig van Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61, was written in 1806.The work was premiered on December 23, 1806 in the Theater an der Wien in Vienna....
); 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....
(No. 1, 1817

Violin Concerto No. 1 (Paganini)

The Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 6, was composed by Niccol? Paganini in Italy, probably between 1817 and 1818. The concerto reveals that Paganini's technical wizardry was fully developed....
); 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....
(1878

Violin Concerto (Brahms)

Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77 is a violin concerto in three movements composed by Johannes Brahms in 1878 for and dedicated to his friend, violinist Joseph Joachim....
); Tchaikovsky

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – ) was a Russian composer of the Romantic music era. He wrote some of the most popular concert and theatrical music in the current classical repertoire, including the ballets Swan Lake and Nutcracker, the 1812 Overture, his Piano Concerto No....
(1878

Violin Concerto (Tchaikovsky)

The Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is one of the best known of all violin concertos. It is also considered to be among the most technically difficult works for violin....
); Prokofiev

Sergei Prokofiev

Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev was a Russian composer who mastered numerous musical genres and came to be admired as one of the greatest composers of the 20th century....
(No. 1, 1917

Violin Concerto No. 1 (Prokofiev)

Sergei Prokofiev began his Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major, opus number 19, as a concertino in 1915 but soon abandoned it to work on his opera The Gambler ....
); Stravinsky

Igor Stravinsky

Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky was a Russian-born composer, considered by many to be the most influential composer of 20th century music. He was a quintessentially Cosmopolitanism Russian who was named by Time as one of the 100 most influential people of the century....
(1931

Violin Concerto (Stravinsky)

Igor Stravinsky's Violin Concerto in D is a Neoclassicism violin concerto in four movements, composed in the summer of 1931 and premiered on October 23, 1931....
); and Korngold

Erich Wolfgang Korngold

Erich Wolfgang Korngold was an Academy Award-winning 20th century film and romantic music composer....
(1945

Violin Concerto (Korngold)

The Violin Concerto in D major, opus number 35, was composed by Erich Wolfgang Korngold in 1945 in music.The writing of the concerto following some initial persuasion from the violinist and fellow ?migr? Bronislaw Huberman....
).

It is also appropriate for guitar

Guitar

The guitar is a musical instrument with ancient roots that is used in a wide variety of musical styles. It typically has six Strings , but Tenor guitar, Seven-string guitar, Eight-string guitar, Ten-string guitar, Eleven-string guitar, Twelve-string guitar, Thirteen-string guitar and doubleneck guitar string guitars also exist....
music, with drop D tuning

Drop D tuning

Dropped D tuning: DADGBE, also known simply as drop D, is an alternate guitar tuning style in which the lowest string is tuned down one whole step to D rather than E as in guitar tuning ....
making two Ds available as open strings.

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D major (or the key of D) is a major scale

Major scale

D (musical note)

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 seventh semitone of the solfege.It lies a chromatic semitone above F and a diatonic semitone below G , thus being enharmonic to Sol B?mol or G ....
, 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....
, A

A (musical note)

B (musical note)

C? (musical note)

Key signature

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 B minor

B minor

Parallel key

D minor

Violin

Composer

Violin concerto

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Violin Concerto No. 2 (Mozart)

Violin Concerto No. 2 in D major K?chel-Verzeichnis 211 was composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1775. The concerto has the usual fast-slow-fast structure....
, No. 4, 1775

Violin Concerto No. 4 (Mozart)

Ludwig van Beethoven

Violin Concerto (Beethoven)

Ludwig van Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61, was written in 1806.The work was premiered on December 23, 1806 in the Theater an der Wien in Vienna....
); Paganini

Niccolò Paganini

Violin Concerto No. 1 (Paganini)

Johannes Brahms

Violin Concerto (Brahms)

Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77 is a violin concerto in three movements composed by Johannes Brahms in 1878 for and dedicated to his friend, violinist Joseph Joachim....
); Tchaikovsky

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Violin Concerto (Tchaikovsky)

Sergei Prokofiev

Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev was a Russian composer who mastered numerous musical genres and came to be admired as one of the greatest composers of the 20th century....
(No. 1, 1917

Violin Concerto No. 1 (Prokofiev)

Sergei Prokofiev began his Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major, opus number 19, as a concertino in 1915 but soon abandoned it to work on his opera The Gambler ....
); Stravinsky

Igor Stravinsky

Violin Concerto (Stravinsky)

Igor Stravinsky's Violin Concerto in D is a Neoclassicism violin concerto in four movements, composed in the summer of 1931 and premiered on October 23, 1931....
); and Korngold

Erich Wolfgang Korngold

Erich Wolfgang Korngold was an Academy Award-winning 20th century film and romantic music composer....
(1945

Violin Concerto (Korngold)

It is also appropriate for guitar

Guitar

Drop D tuning

Domenico Scarlatti

Giuseppe Domenico Scarlatti , son of the composer Alessandro Scarlatti, was an Italy composer who spent much of his life in Spain and Portugal....
often imitated the mannerisms of the guitar in his keyboard sonatas, and this might be the reason that more than 70 of his 555 sonatas are in D major; more than any other key.

For some beginning wind instrument students, however, D major is not a very suitable key, since it transposes to E major on B-flat wind instruments, and beginning methods generally tend to avoid keys with more than three sharps.

Even so, the clarinet

Clarinet

The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The name derives from adding the suffix -et meaning little to the Italian word clarino meaning a particular type of trumpet, as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet....
in B-flat is still often used for music in D major, and is perhaps the sharpest key that is practical for the instrument. There are composers however who, in writing a piece in D minor with B-flat clarinets, will have them change to clarinets in A if the music switches to D major.

The vast majority of tin whistle

Tin whistle

The tin whistle, also called the tinwhistle, whistle, pennywhistle or Irish whistler, is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument....
s are in D, since they are often used in music with fiddle

Fiddle

The term fiddle refers to a violin; it is a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including European classical music....
s.

In the Baroque period, D major was regarded as "the key of glory"; hence many trumpet

Trumpet

The trumpet is a musical instrument with the highest Register in the brass instrument family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BC....
concertos were in D major, such as those by Fasch, Gross, Molter

Johann Melchior Molter

Johann Melchior Molter was a Germany baroque music composer and violinist.He was born at Tiefenort, near Eisenach, and was educated at the Gymnasium in Eisenach....
(No. 2), Leopold Mozart

Leopold Mozart

Johann Georg Leopold Mozart was a composer, conductor, teacher, and violinist. He is best known today as the father and teacher of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and for his violin textbook Versuch einer gr?ndlichen Violinschule....
, Telemann

Georg Philipp Telemann

Georg Philipp Telemann was a German Baroque music composer, born in Magdeburg. Self-taught in music, he studied law at the University of Leipzig....
(No. 2), and Giuseppe Torelli

Giuseppe Torelli

Giuseppe Torelli was an Italian violist, violinist, teacher, and composer, who ranks with Arcangelo Corelli among the developers of the Baroque music concerto and concerto grosso....
. Many trumpet sonatas were in D major, too, such as those by Corelli

Arcangelo Corelli

Arcangelo Corelli was an Italian violinist and composer of Baroque music....
, Franceschini

Franceschini

Franceschini may refer to :*Amy Franceschini is a contemporary American artist and designer.*Baldassare Franceschini , was a late Baroque painter active mainly around Florence...
, Purcell

Henry Purcell

Henry Purcell...
, Torelli, etc. "The Trumpet Shall Sound" and the "Hallelujah" chorus from Handel

HANDEL

HANDEL was the code-name for the United Kingdom's National Attack Warning System in the Cold War. It consisted of a small console consisting of two microphones, lights and gauges....
's Messiah
Messiah (Handel)

Messiah is an oratorio by George Frideric Handel based on a libretto by Charles Jennens. Composed in the summer of 1741 and premiered in Dublin on the 13 April 1742, Messiah is Handel's most famous creation and is among the most popular works in Western choral literature....
are also in D major.

With the invention of the valve trumpet, however, preference shifted to the flatter keys, and thus Haydn

Joseph Haydn

Joseph Haydn was an Austrians composer. He was one of the most prominent composers of the classical music era, and is called by some the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet"....
wrote his famous trumpet concerto in the key of E-flat major.

23 of Haydn's 104 symphonies are in D major, making it the most often used main key of his symphonies. The vast majority of Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Mozart showed prodigious ability from his earliest childhood in Salzburg. Already competent on keyboard and violin, he composed from the age of five and performed before European royalty; at seventeen he was engaged as a court musician in Salzburg, but grew restless and traveled in search of a better position, always...
's unnumbered symphonies are in D major, namely K. 66c, 81/73, 97/73m, 95/73n, 120/111a and 161/163/141a. The symphony evolved from the overture, and "D major was by far the most common key for overtures in the second half of the eighteenth century."

Scriabin

Alexander Scriabin

Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin was a Russian composer and pianist who initially developed a highly lyrical and idiosyncratic tonal language inspired by the music of Chopin....
considered D major to be golden in color and, in a discussion with Rimsky-Korsakov

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov , also Nikolay, Nicolai, and Rimsky-Korsakoff, was a Russian composer, and a member of the group of composers known as "The Five." Noted particularly for a predilection for folk and fairy-tale subjects as well as his extraordinary skill in orchestration, his best known orchestral compositions...
, he gave an example from one of Rimsky-Korsakov's own operas where a character sang in D major about gold.

D major

Citations