G-flat major

Infobox Scale


scale_name=Gmusic|flat major
relative=Emusic|flat minor
parallel=Gmusic|flat minor
enharmonic:
Fmusic|sharp minor
enharmonic=F-sharp major
first_pitch=Gmusic|flat
second_pitch=Amusic|flat
third_pitch=Bmusic|flat
fourth_pitch=Cmusic|flat
fifth_pitch=Dmusic|flat
sixth_pitch=Emusic|flat
seventh_pitch=F

G-flat major is a major scale based on G-flat, consisting of the pitches Gmusic|flat, Amusic|flat, Bmusic|flat, Cmusic|flat, Dmusic|flat, Emusic|flat, and F. Its key signature has six flats ("see below:" Scales and keys).

Its relative minor is E-flat minor, and its parallel minor is G-flat minor, usually replaced by F-sharp minor, since G-flat minor, which would have five flats and two double-flats, is not normally used.

Its enharmonic equivalent is F-sharp major, whose key signature also has six accidentals. In writing music in E major for B-flat instruments, it is preferable to use a G-flat rather an F-sharp key signature.

Rarely chosen as the main key for orchestral works, G-flat major is more often used as a main key for piano works, such as the impromptus of Chopin and Schubert.

A striking use of G-flat major can be found in the love duet "Tu l'as dit" that concludes the fourth act of Giacomo Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots.

Austrian composer Gustav Mahler was fond of using G-flat major in key passages of his symphonies; examples include: The choral entry during the finale of his Second Symphony, [Mahler, Gustav. "Symphonies Nos. 1 and 2 in Full Score", Dover, ISBN 0-486-25473-9 (1987) p. 354.] during the first movement of his Third Symphony, [Mahler, Gustav. "Symphonies Nos. 3 and 4 in Full Score", Dover, ISBN 0-486-26166-2 (1989), p. 53.] the modulatory section of the Adagietto from his Fifth Symphony, [Mahler, Gustav. "Symphonies Nos. 5 and 6 in Full Score", Dover, ISBN 0-486-26888-8 (1991), p. 175.] and during the Rondo-Finale of his Seventh Symphony. [Mahler, Gustav. "Symphony No. 7 in Full Score", Dover, ISBN 0-486-27339-3 (1992), p. 223.] Mahler's Tenth Symphony was composed in the enharmonic key of Fsharp major.

References

cales and keys