D-flat major

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

D-flat major is a major scale based on D-flat, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B and C. Its key signature has five flats (see below: Scales and keys).

The flatted pitches correspond to the black keys of the piano. Its relative minor is B-flat minor, and its parallel minor is D-flat minor, usually replaced by C-sharp minor, since D-flat minor, which would contain a double-flat in the key signature, is rarely used for practical composing and arranging. Thus, in his Prelude No. 15 in D-flat major ("Raindrop") and his Fantaisie-Impromptu, Frédéric Chopin switches from D-flat major to C-sharp minor for the middle section in the parallel minor.

D-flat major is enharmonic to C-sharp major. In music for the harp, D-flat major would be preferable, not only for the reason that harp strings are more resonant in the flat position, but also because modulation to the dominant key is easier (by putting the G pedal in the natural position, whereas there is no double-sharp position in which to put the F pedal for G-sharp major).

Hector Berlioz called this key "majestic" in his 1856 Grand Traité d'Instrumentation et d'Orchestration modernes, while having a much different opinion of its enharmonic counterpart. Charles-Marie Widor considered D-flat major to be the best key for flute music.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 is written in B-flat minor, but the famous opening theme is in D-flat major.

Gustav Mahler concluded his last completed Ninth Symphony with an adagio in D-flat major, rather than the home key of D major of the first movement.

Antonín Dvořák wrote the second movement of his New World Symphony in D-flat major. Every other movement is in E minor.

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