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13-432: The C major scale is: On the piano, the C major scale can be played by playing only the white keys starting on C. The scale degree chords of C major are: Twenty of Joseph Haydn 's 106 symphonies are in C major, making it his second most-used key, second to D major . Of the 134 symphonies mistakenly attributed to Haydn that H. C. Robbins Landon lists in his catalog, 33 are in C major, more than any other key. Before

26-516: A diminished third —a skip of 2 semitones—may be possible. Melody may be characterized by its degree and type of conjunct and disjunct motion. For example, Medieval plainchant melodies are generally characterized by conjunct motion with occasional thirds, fourths, and generally ascending fifths while larger intervals are quite rare though octave leaps may occur between two separate phrases . Renaissance melodies are generally characterized by conjunct motion, with only occasional leaps of more than

39-445: A minor third or larger being skips. For example, C to D (major second) is a step, whereas C to E ( major third ) is a skip. More generally, a step is a smaller or narrower interval in a musical line, and a skip is a wider or larger interval with the categorization of intervals into steps and skips is determined by the tuning system and the pitch space used. Melodic motion in which the interval between any two consecutive pitches

52-456: A step , or conjunct motion , is the difference in pitch between two consecutive notes of a musical scale . In other words, it is the interval between two consecutive scale degrees . Any larger interval is called a skip (also called a leap ), or disjunct motion . In the diatonic scale , a step is either a minor second (sometimes also called half step ) or a major second (sometimes also called whole step ), with all intervals of

65-472: Is major or minor . In the most general sense, the scale degree is the number given to each step of the scale, usually starting with 1 for tonic. Defining it like this implies that a tonic is specified. For instance, the 7-tone diatonic scale may become the major scale once the proper degree has been chosen as tonic (e.g. the C-major scale C–D–E–F–G–A–B, in which C is the tonic). If the scale has no tonic,

78-409: Is nicknamed the " Little C major " and the second the " Great C major ". Scott Joplin 's " The Entertainer " is written in C major. Many musicians have pointed out that every musical key conjures up specific feelings. This idea is further explored in a radio program called The Signature Series . American popular songwriter Bob Dylan claimed the key of C major to "be the key of strength, but also

91-444: Is no more than a step, or, less strictly, where skips are rare, is called stepwise or conjunct melodic motion , as opposed to skipwise or disjunct melodic motion, characterized by frequent skips. In the major scale or any of its modes, a step will always be a movement of 1 or 2 semitones, and a skip a movement of 3 or more semitones. In other scales an augmented second —an incomposite step equivalent to 3 semitones—and/or

104-579: The distance between them together define the scale they are in. In Schenkerian analysis , "scale degree" (or "scale step") translates Schenker's German Stufe , denoting "a chord having gained structural significance" (see Schenkerian analysis#Harmony ). The degrees of the traditional major and minor scales may be identified several ways: Tonic Supertonic Sp Mediant Dp , Tkp , tP , [D](Sp) Subdominant Dominant Submediant Tp , sP , tCp Leading tone D̸ Subtonic dP Steps and skips In music ,

117-464: The invention of the valves , Haydn did not write trumpet and timpani parts in his symphonies, except those in C major. Landon writes that it wasn't "until 1774 that Haydn uses trumpets and timpani in a key other than C major... and then only sparingly." Most of Haydn's symphonies in C major are labelled "festive" and are of a primarily celebratory mood. Wilfrid Mellers believed that Mozart 's Symphony No. 41 , written in 'white' C major, "represented

130-444: The key of regret". Sibelius's Symphony No. 7 is in C major and that key was of great importance in his previous symphonies. Scale degree In music theory , the scale degree is the position of a particular note on a scale relative to the tonic —the first and main note of the scale from which each octave is assumed to begin. Degrees are useful for indicating the size of intervals and chords and whether an interval

143-566: The names of the functions of the scale degrees in the seven-note diatonic scale . The names are the same for the major and minor scales, only the seventh degree changes name when flattened: The term scale step is sometimes used synonymously with scale degree, but it may alternatively refer to the distance between two successive and adjacent scale degrees (see steps and skips ). The terms " whole step " and " half step " are commonly used as interval names (though "whole scale step" or "half scale step" are not used). The number of scale degrees and

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156-439: The starting degree must be chosen arbitrarily. In set theory , for instance, the 12 degrees of the chromatic scale are usually numbered starting from C=0, the twelve pitch classes being numbered from 0 to 11. In a more specific sense, scale degrees are given names that indicate their particular function within the scale (see table below ). This implies a functional scale, as is the case in tonal music . This example gives

169-513: The triumph of light". (See also List of symphonies in C major .) Many masses and settings of the Te Deum in the Classical era were in C major. Mozart and Haydn wrote most of their masses in C major. Gounod (in a review of Sibelius ' Third Symphony ) said that "only God composes in C major". Six of his own masses are written in C. Of Franz Schubert 's two symphonies in the key, the first

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