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{{Short description|Major scale based on D-flat}}
{{Infobox musical scale
| name=D-flat major<br><score>{ \magnifyStaff #3/2 \omit Score.TimeSignature \key des \major s16 \clef F \key des \major s^"" }</score>
| parallel=[[D-flat minor]] (theoretical)<br>→[[Enharmonic key|enharmonic]]: [[C-sharp minor]]
| dominant=[[A-flat major]]
| subdominant=[[G-flat major]]
| enharmonic=[[C-sharp major]]
| first_pitch=D{{music|flat}}
| second_pitch=E{{music|flat}}
| third_pitch=F
| fourth_pitch=G{{music|flat}}
| fifth_pitch=A{{music|flat}}
| sixth_pitch=B{{music|flat}}
| seventh_pitch=C
}}
'''D-flat major''' is a [[major scale]] based on [[D♭ (musical note)|D{{music|flat}}]], consisting of the pitches D{{music|flat}}, [[E♭ (musical note)|E{{music|flat}}]], [[F (musical note)|F]], [[G♭ (musical note)|G{{music|flat}}]], [[A♭ (musical note)|A{{music|flat}}]], [[B♭ (musical note)|B{{music|flat}}]] and [[C (musical note)|C]]. Its [[key signature]] has five [[Flat (music)|flats]].
The D-flat major scale is:
{{block indent|<score sound raw>
\header { tagline = ##f }
scale = \relative b { \key des \major \omit Score.TimeSignature
des^"D♭ natural major scale" es f ges as bes c des c bes as ges f es des2 \clef F \key des \major }
\score { { << \cadenzaOn \scale \context NoteNames \scale >> } \layout { } \midi { } }
</score>}}
Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with accidentals as necessary. The D-flat [[Harmonic major scale|harmonic major]] and [[Melodic major scale|melodic major scales]] are:
{{block indent|<score sound raw>
\header { tagline = ##f }
scale = \relative b { \key des \major \omit Score.TimeSignature
des^"D♭ harmonic major scale" es f ges as beses c des c beses! as ges f es des2 \clef F \key des \major }
\score { { << \cadenzaOn \scale \context NoteNames \scale >> } \layout { } \midi { } }
</score>}}
{{block indent|<score sound raw>
\header { tagline = ##f }
scale = \relative b { \key des \major \omit Score.TimeSignature
des^"D♭ melodic major scale" es f ges as bes c des ces beses as ges f es des2 \clef F \key des \major }
\score { { << \cadenzaOn \scale \context NoteNames \scale >> } \layout { } \midi { } }
</score>}}
Its [[relative key|relative minor]] is [[B-flat minor]]. Its [[parallel key|parallel minor]], [[D-flat minor]], is usually replaced by [[C-sharp minor]], since D-flat minor features a B{{music|bb}} ([[Double-flat|B-double-flat]]) in its key signature making it less convenient to use. [[C-sharp major]], the [[enharmonic]] equivalent to D-flat major, has seven sharps, whereas D-flat major only has five flats; thus D-flat major is often used as the [[Parallel key|parallel major]] for C-sharp minor. (The same [[enharmonic]] situation occurs with the keys of [[A-flat major]] and [[G-sharp minor]], and to some extent, with the keys of [[G-flat major]] and [[F-sharp minor]]).
For example, in his [[Prelude, Op. 28, No. 15 (Chopin)|Prelude No. 15 in D-flat major]] ("Raindrop"), [[Frédéric Chopin]] switches from D-flat major to [[C-sharp minor]] for the middle section in the parallel minor, while in his ''[[Fantaisie-Impromptu]]'' and [[Scherzo No. 3 (Chopin)|Scherzo No. 3]], primarily in C-sharp minor, he switches to D-flat major for the middle section for the opposite reason. [[Claude Debussy]] likewise switches from D-flat major to C-sharp minor in the significant section in his famous "[[Suite bergamasque#"Clair de lune"|Clair de lune]]" for a few measures. [[Antonín Dvořák]]'s [[Symphony No. 9 (Dvořák)|''New World Symphony'']] also switches to C-sharp minor for a while for the significant section in the [[slow movement (music)|slow movement]].
In music for the [[harp]], D-flat major is preferred enharmonically not only because harp strings are more [[Resonance|resonant]] in the flat position and the key has fewer accidentals, but also because [[modulation]] to the [[Dominant (music)|dominant key]] is easier (by putting the G pedal in the natural position, whereas there is no double-sharp position in which to put the F pedal for G-sharp major).
== Scale degree chords ==
The [[scale degree]] chords of D-flat major are:
* [[Tonic (music)|Tonic]] – D-flat major
*
* [[Mediant]] – [[F minor]]
* [[Subdominant]] – [[G-flat major]]
* [[Dominant (music)|Dominant]] – [[A-flat major]]
* [[Submediant]] – [[B-flat minor]]
* [[Leading-tone]] – [[Diminished triad|C diminished]]
== Compositions in D-flat major ==
[[Hector Berlioz]] called the key "majestic" in his 1856 ''[[Treatise on Instrumentation|Grand Traité d'Instrumentation et d'Orchestration modernes]]'', while having a much different opinion of its enharmonic counterpart, calling it "Less vague; and more elegant".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Berlioz |first1=Hector |title=A Treatise on Modern Instrumentation and Orchestration: To which is Appended the Chef D'Orchestre |date=1882 |publisher=Novello, Ewer |page=24 |url=https://archive.org/details/atreatiseonmode00berlgoog/page/n27/mode/2up?q=majestic |access-date=21 July 2022 |language=English}}</ref> Despite this, when he came to orchestrate [[Carl Maria von Weber]]'s piano piece ''[[Invitation to the Dance (Weber)|Invitation to the Dance]]'' in 1841, he transposed it from D-flat to [[D major]], to give the strings a more manageable key and to produce a brighter sound.<ref>[http://www.hberlioz.com/Scores/sinvitation.htm The Hector Berlioz Website]</ref>
[[Charles-Marie Widor]] considered D-flat major to be the best key for flute music.<ref>[[Charles-Marie Widor]], ''Manual of Practical Instrumentation'' translated by Edward Suddard, Revised edition. London: Joseph Williams. (1946) Reprinted Mineola, New York: Dover (2005): 11. "No key suits it [the flute] better than D-flat [major]."</ref>
Although this key was unexplored during the [[Baroque music|Baroque]] and [[Classical period (music)|Classical]] periods and was rarely used as the main key for orchestral works of the 18th century, [[Franz Schubert]] used it quite frequently in his sets of [[écossaise]]s, [[Waltz|valses]] and so on, as well as entering it and even flatter keys in his [[Sonata|sonatas]], [[Impromptu|impromptus]] and the like. [[Ludwig van Beethoven]], too, used this key extensively in his [[Piano Concerto No. 2 (Beethoven)|second piano concerto]]. D-flat major was used as the key for the slow movements of [[Joseph Haydn]]'s [[Piano Sonata Hob. XVI/49|Piano Sonata Hob XVI:46]] in A-flat major, and Beethoven's [[Piano Sonata No. 23 (Beethoven)|''Appassionata Sonata'']]. Chopin's [[Minute Waltz]] from Op. 64 is in D-flat major.
A part of the trio of [[Scott Joplin]]'s "[[Maple Leaf Rag]]" is written in D-flat major.
The flattened pitches of D-flat major correspond to the black keys of the [[piano]], and there is much significant piano music written in this key. [[Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky]]'s [[Piano Concerto No. 1 (Tchaikovsky)|Piano Concerto No. 1]] is written in B-flat minor, but the famous opening theme is in D-flat major. Tchaikovsky composed the second movement of [[Piano Concerto No. 1 (Tchaikovsky)|Piano Concerto No. 1]] also in D-flat. [[Sergei Rachmaninoff]] composed the famous 18th variation of his ''[[Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini]]'' in this key, perhaps emphasizing the generally held view that D-flat major is the most romantically flavored of the major keys; and his friend [[Nikolai Medtner]] similarly chose it for the sensually romantic "big tune" in the last movement of his [[Piano Concerto No. 3 (Medtner)|Piano Concerto No. 3 ("Ballade")]]. [[Claude Debussy]] also composed the famous "[[Suite bergamasque#"Clair de lune"|Clair de lune]]" in this key, with a significant section in C-sharp minor. [[Edvard Grieg]] composed the second movement of his [[Piano Concerto (Grieg)|Piano Concerto]] in D-flat. [[Frédéric Chopin]]'s [[Nocturnes, Op. 27 (Chopin)|Nocturne in D-flat, Op. 27]] and [[Berceuse (Chopin)|Berceuse, Op. 57]] are in this key. [[Franz Liszt]] composed heavily in this key, with his most recognizable piece being the third movement of his piano composition ''[[Three Concert Études|Trois études de concert]]'', dubbed "Un sospiro". Liszt took advantage of the piano's configuration of the key and used it to create an arpeggiating melody using alternating hands. Several of his [[Consolations (Liszt)|Consolations]] are also written in this key.
In orchestral music, the examples are fewer. [[Gustav Mahler]] concluded his [[Symphony No. 9 (Mahler)|Ninth Symphony]] with an Adagio in D-flat major, rather than the home key of D major of the first movement. [[Anton Bruckner]] wrote the third movement of his [[Symphony No. 8 (Bruckner)|Symphony No. 8]] in D-flat major, while every other movement is in C minor. [[Antonín Dvořák]] wrote the second movement of his [[Symphony No. 9 (Dvořák)|Symphony No. 9]] in D-flat major, while every other movement is in E minor. The [[Piano Concerto No. 1 (Prokofiev)|first piano concerto]] of [[Sergei Prokofiev]] is also written in D-flat major, with a short slow movement in [[G-sharp minor]]. [[Aram Khachaturian]] wrote his [[Piano Concerto (Khachaturian)|Piano Concerto, Op. 38]] in the key of D-flat major. Choral writing explores D-flat infrequently, notable examples being [[Robert Schumann]]'s ''Requiem'', Op. 148, [[Gabriel Fauré]]'s ''[[Cantique de Jean Racine]]''<ref>{{IMSLP|work=Cantique de Jean Racine, Op.11 (Fauré, Gabriel)|cname=''Cantique de Jean Racine''}}</ref> and [[Sergei Rachmaninoff]]'s "Nunc Dimittis" from his [[All-Night Vigil (Rachmaninoff)|All-Night Vigil, Op. 37]]. [[Vincent d'Indy]]'s [[List of compositions by Vincent d'Indy# Works with opus number|String Quartet No. 3, Op. 96]], which is in D-flat.<ref>{{IMSLP|work=String Quartet No.3, Op.96 (Indy, Vincent d')|cname=String Quartet No. 3, Op. 96 (Indy)}}</ref>
==See also==
*[[List of symphonies in D-flat major]]
== References ==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*{{commons category-inline|D-flat major}}
{{Circle of fifths}}
[[Category:Musical keys]]
[[Category:Major scales]]
[[Category:Compositions in D-flat major| ]]
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