C-sharp major

Musical scale and key signature

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C-sharp major

Relative key| A-sharp minor

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Parallel key| C-sharp minor
Dominant key| G-sharp major (theoretical)
→enharmonic : A-flat major
Subdominant key| F-sharp major
Enharmonic key| D-flat major
Component pitches
C♯, D♯, E♯, F♯, G♯, A♯, B♯

C-sharp major is a major scale based on C♯, consisting of the pitches C♯, D♯, E♯, F♯, G♯, A♯, and B♯. Its key signature has seven sharps. Its relative minor is A-sharp minor (or enharmonically B-flat minor), its parallel minor is C-sharp minor, and its enharmonic equivalence is D-flat major.

The C-sharp major scale is:

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Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with accidentals as necessary. The C-sharp harmonic major and melodic major scales are:

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A harp tuned to C-sharp major has all its pedals in the bottom position. Because all the strings are then pinched and shortened, this is the least resonant key for the instrument.

## Scale degree chords

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The scale degree chords of C-sharp major are:

* Tonic – C-sharp major
* Supertonic – D-sharp minor
* Mediant – E-sharp minor
* Subdominant – F-sharp major
* Dominant – G-sharp major
* Submediant – A-sharp minor
* Leading-tone – B-sharp diminished

## Compositions

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Most composers prefer to use the enharmonic equivalent D-flat major since it contains five flats as opposed to C-sharp major's seven sharps. However, Johann Sebastian Bach chose C-sharp major for Prelude and Fugue No. 3 in both books of The Well-Tempered Clavier. In Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6, Franz Liszt takes the unusual step of changing the key from D-flat major to C-sharp major near the start of the piece, and then back again to B-flat minor. Maurice Ravel selected C-sharp major as the tonic key of "Ondine" from his piano suite Gaspard de la nuit. Erich Wolfgang Korngold composed his Piano Concerto for the Left Hand, Op. 17, in C-sharp major.

The Allegro de concierto by Spanish composer Enrique Granados is written in C-sharp major. Canadian composer and pianist Frank Mills originally wrote and performed his instrumental hit "Music Box Dancer" in C-sharp major; however, most modern piano editions have the piece written in C major.

Louis Vierne used C-sharp major for the "Dona nobis pacem" of the Agnus Dei of his Messe solennelle in C-sharp minor.

## Further reading

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* Lester, Joel (Spring 1978). "The Recognition of Major and Minor Keys in German Theory: 1680–1730". Journal of Music Theory. 22 (1). Duke University Press: 65–103\. doi:10.2307/843628. JSTOR 843628.

## External links

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* List of compositions in C-sharp major

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Diatonic scales and keys

|  |  | No. | Flats | Sharps

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Major | minor | Major  | minor
0  | C | a | C | a
1  | F | d | G | e
2  | B♭ | g | D | b
3  | E♭ | c | A | f♯
4  | A♭ | f | E | c♯
5  | D♭ | b♭ | B | g♯
6  | G♭ | e♭ | F♯ | d♯
7  | C♭ | a♭ | C♯ | a♯
8 | F♭ | d♭ | G♯ | e♯
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*[t]: Discuss this template
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*[No.]: Number