E-flat minor

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

E♭

Relative key	G♭ major
Parallel key	E♭ major
Component pitches
E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭, E♭

Also see: E-flat major, or E minor.

E♭ minor or E-flat minor is a minor scale based on E-flat, consisting of the pitches E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭, and D♭. In the harmonic minor, the D♭ is raised to D♮. Its key signature consists of six flats (see below: Scales and keys).

Its relative major is G-flat major, and its parallel major is E-flat major. Its enharmonic equivalent is D-sharp minor.

Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with accidentals as necessary.

One of the few symphonies written in this key is Prokofiev's Symphony No. 6. A few other less well-known Soviet composers also wrote symphonies in this key, such as Eshpai, Janis Ivanovs (fourth symphony Atlantis, 1941), Ovchinnikov and Myaskovsky.

The second movement to Gustav Mahler's Eighth Symphony has an extended orchestral and choral introduction in E-flat minor.

In book 1 of the Well-Tempered Clavier by Johann Sebastian Bach, Prelude No. 8 is written in E-flat minor while the following Fugue is written in D-sharp minor. In book 2, both movements are in D-sharp minor.

Rachmaninov's "Elegie", Op. 3 No. 1 is in E flat minor. The very dark and mysterious sounding jazz compositions 'Round Midnight and Take Five were written in E-flat minor as well.

Despite the key rarely being used in orchestral music other than to modulate, it is not entirely uncommon in keyboard music. For orchestration of piano music, some theorists recommend transposing the music to D minor or E minor.