G major

Infobox Scale
scale_name=G major


relative=E minor
parallel=G minor
first_pitch=G
second_pitch=A
third_pitch=B
fourth_pitch=C
fifth_pitch=D
sixth_pitch=E
seventh_pitch=F^#

G major (or the key of G) is a major scale based on G, with the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and Fmusic|sharp. Its key signature has one sharp, Fmusic|sharp. ("see below:" Scales and keys).

Its relative minor is E minor, and its parallel minor is G minor.

In the treble clef, the sharp-symbol for F is usually placed on the first line from the top, though in some Baroque music it is placed on the first space from the bottom (a lower-octave F note).

In the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, "G major is often a key of 6/8 chain rhythms," according to Alfred Einstein, and in the Baroque era, G major was regarded as the "key of benediction."

Of Domenico Scarlatti's 555 keyboard sonatas, 69 are in G major, and 12 of Joseph Haydn's 104 Symphonies are in G major. (See also: List of symphonies in G major.) Ludwig van Beethoven, on the other hand, hardly used G major as the main key of a work, his only major orchestral work in the key being his Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major.

For orchestral works in G major, the timpani are typically set to G and D a fifth apart, rather than a fourth apart as for most other keys.

G is one of the most frequently-employed keys across classical and popular music. This is in part because of its relative ease of playing on both keyboard and string instruments.Fact|date=February 2008 It is the key stipulated by Queen Elizabeth II to be used for "God Save the Queen" in Canada. [http://www.saskd.ca/heritage.pdf Department of National Defence: The Honours, Flags and Heritage Structure of the Canadian Forces; p. 503] ] The music to the American national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner, was originally written in G major. Though it is now usually sung in A-flat or B-flat major, some people, most notably humorist and commentator Garrison Keillor, are campaigning to return the song to its original key; they argue that the song is already very difficult to sing on account of its range (one and a half octaves), and the modern standard key makes it still more difficult.

G major has also been used in an internet meme. This means taking a popular video and modifying its sound, distorting it and slowing it down. For example, Tourettes Guy in G Major. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuZmxMUk2ec] This name is slightly misleading, because it does not exactly mean transposing the audio to the key of G Major.

List of compositions in G Major

Modern:
*Imitation of Life – R.E.M.
*Father & Son – Cat Stevens
*Eternal Flame – The Bangles
*When You Say Nothing At All – Ronan Keating
*Knockin' On Heaven's Door – Bob Dylan
*Redemption Song – Bob Marley
*Josephine – Reamonn
*You've Got To Hide Your Love Away – The Beatles
*Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd (Waters, Gilmour)
*Hate Me - Blue October
*Hey You - Pink Floyd (Waters)
*Cliffs of Dover - Eric Johnson

References

* Alfred Einstein, "Mozart, His Character, His Work", Chapter 10, "Mozart's Choice Of Keys"

Other External Links

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuZmxMUk2ec Tourettes Guy in G Major]