C-sharp minor is a minor scale based on C-sharp, consisting of the pitches C-sharp, D-sharp, E, F-sharp, G-sharp, A, B-sharp and C-sharp (harmonic minor scale). Its key signature consists of four sharps.
 | |
| Relative key | E major |
|---|---|
| Parallel key | C♯ major |
| Component pitches | |
| C♯, D♭, E, F♭, G♭, A, B♯ | |
Its relative major is E major, and its parallel major is C-sharp major.
Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with accidentals as necessary.
There are only two known symphonies in the 18th Century written in this key. One of them is by Joseph Martin Kraus, but he appears to have found the key difficult since he later rewrote it in C minor. Even in the following two centuries C-sharp minor symphonies remained rare. Two notable examples are Mahler's Symphony No. 5 and Prokofiev's Symphony No. 7.
This key occurs more often in piano literature, however, from the 18th Century onwards. Domenico Scarlatti wrote just two keyboard sonatas in C-sharp minor, K. 246 and K. 247. But after Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, the key became more frequent in the piano repertoire.
Interestingly, Haydn didn't write any works in C-sharp minor and Mozart only wrote one.
Well known songs in this key
- All Along the Watchtower - Bob Dylan
- Barbie Girl - Aqua
- California Dreamin' - The Mamas and the Papas
- Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 - Franz Liszt
- Oops I Did It Again - Britney Spears
- Crush - Jennifer Paige
- Because - The Beatles
- La Isla Bonita - Madonna
- Echoes - Pink Floyd
- Moonlight Sonata - Ludwig van Beethoven
- Have A Nice Day - Bon Jovi
- Message in a Bottle - The Police
- All That She Wants - Ace of Base
- Prelude in C-sharp minor Op. 3 No. 2 - Sergei Rachmaninoff
- Round Round - Sugababes
- Too Lost In You - Sugababes
- Cruel Summer - Bananarama
- Got My Mind Set On You - George Harrison
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