Minor key - Tancho (English spelling) minor key English

One of the two tonal genres of tonal music. Tonality is established by the primary triads of the tonic, dominant, and subdominant chords, but a minor key is one that has a minor third in the third note of the tonic chord, as opposed to a major key, and is specifically called a natural minor key. As there are three types of minor scales, in addition to the natural minor keys, there are harmonic minor keys (major minor) that have a major triad in the dominant chord, and melodic minor keys (major major minor) that have a major triad in the dominant and subdominant chords. Minor keys were not often used in classical symphonies, but by the Romantic period they had become as popular as major keys.

[Miho Minamitani]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

調性音楽の二つの音種属の一つ。調性は主和音、属和音、下属和音の主要三和音によって確立されるが、基本的にはその主和音の第三音に短三度をもつものを長調に対して短調といい、これはとくに自然的短調とよばれる。短音階に3種類あるのと同様に、この自然的短調のほかにも、属和音に長三和音をもつ和声的短調（長短調）、および属和音と下属和音に長三和音をもつ旋律的短調（長長短調）がある。短調は古典派の交響曲ではあまり用いられなかったが、ロマン派に至って長調と同様に好まれるようになった。

［南谷美保］

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