# Why is Tchaikovsky's 1st piano concerto "in B flat minor"?



## spradlig (Jul 25, 2012)

I don't think it is. About a few seconds of ambiguity, the piano enters with crashing D flat major chords and I'm pretty sure the 1st movement, and the piece, end in D flat major. Maybe it sounds like it's in B flat minor for a few seconds in the beginning. But Dvorak's 8th and Tchiakovsky's 3d, among other symphonies, sound like they begin in the minor mode, and are not labelled as such.


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

> The first movement is initiated with four emphatic B-flat minor chords, which leads to a lyrical and passionate theme in D-flat major. he primary theme is once again recapitulated in the tonic key and the romantic theme in the tonic major. Surprisingly, the movement does not revert to the tonic minor, but instead leads to a triumphant and optimistic coda. The movement concludes in B-flat major with a drum roll.


The last movement quite clearly ends in Bb minor and has a proper cadence. I think you have been fooled by the Db theme which only appears twice.


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## spradlig (Jul 25, 2012)

Thank you for your quick reply. I am embarrassed, I guess I am less familiar with this piece than I thought I was.


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## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

Bb minor and Dd major are the same key signature. It is easy to move between the two.


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