E major
Major key with four sharps; relative major of C-sharp minor.
What it means
E major is the major key with four sharps in its key signature: F-sharp, C-sharp, G-sharp, and D-sharp. Its tonic is E, and its relative minor is C-sharp minor. On the circle of fifths it lies four steps on the sharp side from C major.
Musical use
E major is considered a particularly resonant key on string instruments, since the notes E, A, D, and G include or closely relate to several open strings of the violin and related instruments, favoring a bright, resonance-rich sound. Many virtuosic violin works, including concerto movements and solo pieces, are therefore written in E major.
E major should be distinguished from E-flat major, which despite the similar name is an entirely different key with three flats, and from C-sharp minor, its relative minor, which shares the same key signature but has a different tonic and therefore a different tonal character.
Performance practice
On string instruments in E major, deliberately use the resonance of the open strings to achieve a fuller sound, employing double stops and harmonics that ring together with the open strings. On wind instruments with many sharps, practise the fingerings for F-sharp, C-sharp, G-sharp, and D-sharp especially carefully, since they are less automatic in less common keys.