# G major

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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G_major
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{{Short description|Major key and scale based on the note G}}
{{Redirect|G (scale)|the model railway scale|G scale}}
{{Infobox musical scale
| name=G major<br><score>{ \magnifyStaff #3/2 \omit Score.TimeSignature \key g \major s16 \clef F \key g \major s^"" }</score>
| relative=[E minor](/source/E_minor)
| parallel=[G minor](/source/G_minor)
| dominant=[D major](/source/D_major)
| subdominant=[C major](/source/C_major)
| first_pitch=G
| second_pitch=A
| third_pitch=B
| fourth_pitch=C
| fifth_pitch=D
| sixth_pitch=E
| seventh_pitch=F{{music|sharp}}
}}
'''G major''' is a [major scale](/source/major_scale) based on [G](/source/G_(musical_note)), with the pitches G, [A](/source/A_(musical_note)), [B](/source/B_(musical_note)), [C](/source/C_(musical_note)), [D](/source/D_(musical_note)), [E](/source/E_(musical_note)), and [F{{music|sharp}}](/source/F%E2%99%AF_(musical_note)). Its [key signature](/source/key_signature) has one [sharp](/source/sharp_(music)).  Its [relative minor](/source/relative_key) is [E minor](/source/E_minor) and its [parallel minor](/source/parallel_key) is [G minor](/source/G_minor).

The G major scale is:

{{block indent|<score sound raw>
\header { tagline = ##f }
scale = \relative f' { \key g \major \omit Score.TimeSignature
  g^"G natural major scale" a b c d e fis g fis e d c b a g2 \clef F \key g \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 G [harmonic major](/source/Harmonic_major_scale) and [melodic major scales](/source/Melodic_major_scale) are:

{{block indent|<score sound raw>
\header { tagline = ##f }
scale = \relative f' { \key g \major \omit Score.TimeSignature
  g^"G harmonic major scale" a b c d es fis g fis es! d c b a g2 }
\score { { << \cadenzaOn \scale \context NoteNames \scale >> } \layout { } \midi { } }
</score>}}
{{block indent|<score sound raw>
\header { tagline = ##f }
scale = \relative f' { \key g \major \omit Score.TimeSignature
  g^"G melodic major scale" a b c d e fis g f es d c b a g2 }
\score { { << \cadenzaOn \scale \context NoteNames \scale >> } \layout { } \midi { } }
</score>}}

== Scale degree chords ==
The [scale degree](/source/scale_degree) chords of G major are:
* [Tonic](/source/Tonic_(music)) – G major
* [Supertonic](/source/Supertonic) – [A minor](/source/A_minor)
* [Mediant](/source/Mediant) – [B minor](/source/B_minor)
* [Subdominant](/source/Subdominant) – [C major](/source/C_major)
* [Dominant](/source/Dominant_(music)) – [D major](/source/D_major)
* [Submediant](/source/Submediant) – [E minor](/source/E_minor)
* [Leading-tone](/source/Leading-tone) – [F-sharp diminished](/source/Diminished_triad)

==Notable compositions==
{{See also|List of symphonies in G major}}

=== Baroque period ===
In [Baroque music](/source/Baroque_music), G major was regarded as the "key of [benediction](/source/benediction)".<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Mellers|first=Wilfrid|author-link=Wilfrid Mellers|title=Modernism's Child|magazine=[The New Republic](/source/The_New_Republic)|volume=204|issue=14|date=8 April 1991|pages=38–40}}</ref>

Of [Domenico Scarlatti](/source/Domenico_Scarlatti)'s 555 keyboard sonatas, G major is the home key for 69, or about 12.4%, sonatas.

In the music of [Johann Sebastian Bach](/source/Johann_Sebastian_Bach), "G major is often a key of {{music|time|6|8}} chain rhythms", according to [Alfred Einstein](/source/Alfred_Einstein),<ref>[Alfred Einstein](/source/Alfred_Einstein), ''Mozart, His Character, His Work'', chapter 10, "Mozart's Choice of Keys"</ref> although Bach also used the key for some {{music|time|4|4}}-based works, including his [third](/source/Brandenburg_Concertos) and [fourth](/source/Brandenburg_Concertos) ''[Brandenburg Concertos](/source/Brandenburg_Concertos)''. Pianist [Jeremy Denk](/source/Jeremy_Denk) observes that the ''[Goldberg Variations](/source/Goldberg_Variations)'' are 80 minutes in G major.<ref>[https://www.npr.org/blogs/deceptivecadence/2012/03/16/148769794/why-i-hate-the-goldberg-variations Why I hate the Goldberg Variations]</ref>

===Classical era===
Twelve of [Joseph Haydn](/source/Joseph_Haydn)'s 106 symphonies are in G major. Likewise, one of Haydn's most famous piano trios, [No. 39](/source/Piano_Trio_No._39_(Haydn)) (with the ''Gypsy Rondo''), and one of his last two complete published [string quartet](/source/string_quartet)s (Op. 77, No. 1), are in G major.

In addition, G major is the home key of Mozart's ''[Eine kleine Nachtmusik](/source/Eine_kleine_Nachtmusik)'', serving as the tonic for three of its four movements (the only exception being the second movement, titled ''Romanze'' which is in the subdominant key of [C major](/source/C_major)). However, almost none of his large-scale works such as his symphonies or concertos are in this key; exceptions are the [Violin Concerto No. 3](/source/Violin_Concerto_No._3_(Mozart)), [Piano Concerto No. 17](/source/Piano_Concerto_No._17_(Mozart)), [Flute Concerto No. 1](/source/Flute_Concerto_No._1_(Mozart)) and his [String Quartet No. 14](/source/String_Quartet_No._14_(Mozart)), along with some examples among his [juvenilia](/source/juvenilia).

For [Ludwig van Beethoven](/source/Ludwig_van_Beethoven), G major was a key for optimism and cheerful energy.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}} He regularly used this key, for instance in his Piano Sonatas [No. 10](/source/Piano_Sonata_No._10_(Beethoven)), [No. 16](/source/Piano_Sonata_No._16_(Beethoven)), [No. 20](/source/Piano_Sonatas_Nos._19_and_20_(Beethoven)) and [No. 25](/source/Piano_Sonata_No._25_(Beethoven)), [Rondo for piano, Op. 51](/source/Rondos%2C_Op._51_(Beethoven)), [Rage Over a Lost Penny](/source/Rage_Over_a_Lost_Penny), Violin sonatas [No. 8](/source/Violin_Sonata_No._8_(Beethoven)) and [No. 10](/source/Violin_Sonata_No._10_(Beethoven)), [String Trio No. 2](/source/String_Trios%2C_Op._9_(Beethoven)), [String Quartet No. 2](/source/String_Quartet_No._2_(Beethoven)), [Piano Trio No. 2](/source/Piano_Trios%2C_Op._1_(Beethoven)), [Romance for violin and orchestra, Op. 40](/source/Romance_No._1_(Beethoven)) and [Piano Concerto No. 4](/source/Piano_Concerto_No._4_(Beethoven)).

[Franz Schubert](/source/Franz_Schubert) rarely used the key of G major, although a few important compositions are written in this key, including [Mass No. 2](/source/Mass_No._2_(Schubert)) D 167, [String Quartet No. 15](/source/String_Quartet_No._15_(Schubert)) D 887 and [Piano Sonata op. 78](/source/Piano_Sonata_in_G_major%2C_D_894_(Schubert)) D 894.

===Romantic era===
The Romantic composers often used keys distant from G major. Composers like [Robert Schumann](/source/Robert_Schumann), [Felix Mendelssohn](/source/Felix_Mendelssohn), [César Franck](/source/C%C3%A9sar_Franck), [Max Bruch](/source/Max_Bruch), [Anton Bruckner](/source/Anton_Bruckner), [Modest Mussorgsky](/source/Modest_Mussorgsky), [Alexander Borodin](/source/Alexander_Borodin), [César Cui](/source/C%C3%A9sar_Cui) and [Sergei Rachmaninoff](/source/Sergei_Rachmaninoff) only used this key in a few small-scale or miscellaneous compositions, or even avoided it completely. Nonetheless, some important Romantic music was written in G major.

[Harold en Italie](/source/Harold_en_Italie), a symphony with a solo viola part by [Hector Berlioz](/source/Hector_Berlioz), is in G major. [Frédéric Chopin](/source/Fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric_Chopin)'s [Prelude Op. 28/3](/source/Preludes_(Chopin)), his [Nocturne Op. 37/2](/source/Nocturnes%2C_Op._37_(Chopin)) and his [Mazurka Op. 50/1](/source/Mazurkas%2C_Op._50_(Chopin)) are in this key as well.

It is also the key of three major chamber music compositions by [Johannes Brahms](/source/Johannes_Brahms): [String Sextet No. 2 Op. 36](/source/String_Sextet_No._2_(Brahms)), [Violin Sonata No. 1 Op. 78](/source/Violin_Sonata_No._1_(Brahms)) and [String Quintet No. 2 Op. 111](/source/String_Quintet_No._2_(Brahms)). [Antonín Dvořák](/source/Anton%C3%ADn_Dvo%C5%99%C3%A1k) wrote four important pieces in G major: [String Quintet No. 2, Op. 77](/source/String_Quintet_No._2_(Dvo%C5%99%C3%A1k)), [Symphony No. 8 Op. 88](/source/Symphony_No._8_(Dvo%C5%99%C3%A1k)), [Sonatina for Violin and Piano Op. 100](/source/Violin_Sonatina_(Dvo%C5%99%C3%A1k)), which he wrote for his children, and [String Quartet No. 13, Op. 106](/source/String_Quartet_No._13_(Dvo%C5%99%C3%A1k)).

The [Violin Sonata No. 2 Op. 13](/source/Violin_Sonatas_(Grieg)) by [Edvard Grieg](/source/Edvard_Grieg) is in G major.

[Camille Saint-Saëns](/source/Camille_Saint-Sa%C3%ABns) chose G major as the key for his String Quartet No. 2 and his [Sonata for Bassoon and Piano](/source/Bassoon_Sonata_(Saint-Sa%C3%ABns)). [Gabriel Fauré](/source/Gabriel_Faur%C3%A9) only wrote one major composition in this key: his second Barcarolle for Piano, Op. 41.

The three major compositions in G major of [Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky](/source/Pyotr_Ilyich_Tchaikovsky) are his [Piano Concerto No. 2 Op. 44](/source/Piano_Concerto_No._2_(Tchaikovsky)) and his orchestral suites [No. 3, Op. 55](/source/Orchestral_Suite_No._3_(Tchaikovsky)) and [No. 4 "Mozartiana" Op. 61](/source/Orchestral_Suite_No._4_Mozartiana_(Tchaikovsky)). Three Préludes for Piano ([Op. 11/3](/source/24_Preludes%2C_Op._11_(Scriabin)), Op. 13/3 and Op. 39/3) by [Alexander Scriabin](/source/Alexander_Scriabin) are in G major, as well as the Mazurka for orchestra op. 18, the String Quartet No. 3 Op. 26 and the Oriental Rhapsody for orchestra Op. 29 by [Alexander Glazunov](/source/Alexander_Glazunov).

===Post-Romantic and modern era===
[Gustav Mahler](/source/Gustav_Mahler)'s [Symphony No. 4](/source/Symphony_No._4_(Mahler)) and [Richard Strauss](/source/Richard_Strauss)'s [tone poem](/source/tone_poem) ''[Aus Italien](/source/Aus_Italien)'' Op. 16, are in G major.

It's the key for the opening 'Sinfonia' of [Igor Stravinsky](/source/Igor_Stravinsky)'s [Pulcinella](/source/Pulcinella_(ballet)) suite, and for the [Piano Concerto](/source/Piano_Concerto_in_G_major_(Ravel)) for two hands and the [Violin Sonata No. 2](/source/Violin_Sonata_No._2_(Ravel)) by [Maurice Ravel](/source/Maurice_Ravel). The fifth sonata of the [Six Sonatas for solo violin](/source/Six_Sonatas_for_solo_violin_(Ysa%C3%BFe)) by [Eugène Ysaÿe](/source/Eug%C3%A8ne_Ysa%C3%BFe) is also in G major.

[Sergei Prokofiev](/source/Sergei_Prokofiev) wrote his [Piano Concerto No. 5 Op. 55](/source/Piano_Concerto_No._5_(Prokofiev)) in this key, and [Dmitri Shostakovich](/source/Dmitri_Shostakovich) chose it for his [Cello Concerto No. 2 Op. 126](/source/Cello_Concerto_No._2_(Shostakovich)) and his [String Quartet No. 6 Op. 101](/source/String_Quartet_No._6_(Shostakovich)).

==In popular culture==
G major is the key stipulated for the royal anthem of Canada, "[God Save the King](/source/God_Save_the_King)".<ref>{{cite book|chapter-url=https://www.canada.ca/en/services/defence/caf/military-identity-system/heritage-manual/chapter-7/section-3.html|chapter="Chapter 7-3-1: Anthems, Salutes and Protocol – Royal Anthem"|publisher=Department of National Defence, Government of Canada|date=14 October 2022|title=The Heritage Structure of the Canadian Forces|id=A-AD-200-000/AG-000|access-date=1 April 2023}}</ref> The anthem "[God Defend New Zealand](/source/God_Defend_New_Zealand)" ("Aotearoa") was originally composed by [John Joseph Woods](/source/John_Joseph_Woods) in [A-flat major](/source/A-flat_major), but after becoming New Zealand's national anthem in 1977, it was rearranged into G major to better suit general and massed singing.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.mch.govt.nz/nz-identity-heritage/national-anthems/musical-score-god-defend-new-zealand |title= Musical score for God Defend New Zealand |publisher= Ministry of Culture and Heritage / Manatū Taonga |access-date= 10 May 2016 |archive-date= 20 March 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220320165643/https://mch.govt.nz/nz-identity-heritage/national-anthems/musical-score-god-defend-new-zealand |url-status= dead }}</ref> According to [Spotify](/source/Spotify), G major is the most common key of music on the streaming service (closely followed by C major).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://insights.spotify.com/us/2015/05/06/most-popular-keys-on-spotify/|title=The Most Popular Keys of All Music on Spotify|last=Buskirk|first=Eliot Van|date=2015-05-06|website=Insights|language=en|access-date=2019-01-14|archive-date=2019-01-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190115023306/https://insights.spotify.com/us/2015/05/06/most-popular-keys-on-spotify/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
<!--Please do not add a "list of notable songs in this key" section; see the discussion page for the article "C major".-->

==See also==
*[Major and minor](/source/Major_and_minor)
*[Chord (music)](/source/Chord_(music))
*[Chord notation](/source/Chord_notation)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{commons category-inline}}
{{Circle of fifths}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:G Major}}
Category:Musical keys
Category:Major scales
Category:Compositions in G major

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [G major](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G_major) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G_major?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.