G minor
Minor key with two flats; relative minor of B-flat major.
What it means
G minor is the minor key with two flats in its key signature: B-flat and E-flat. Its tonic is G, and its relative major is B-flat major. On the circle of fifths it lies two steps on the flat side. In the harmonic and melodic forms F-sharp is added as a raised seventh degree, the leading tone.
Musical use
G minor is regarded as a key of serious, often plaintive or passionate expression and is especially associated with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: his Symphony no. 40 K. 550 and the String Quintet K. 516 are in G minor. Johann Sebastian Bach's great Fantasia and Fugue BWV 542 and Johannes Brahms's Rhapsody op. 79 no. 2 are also written in this key.
G minor should be distinguished from G major, its namesake with one sharp and a brighter character, and from B-flat major, its relative major with the same key signature. It also differs from G-sharp minor, with five sharps, in signature and position.
Performance practice
Practise the harmonic minor scale with the leading tone F-sharp especially carefully, since the step from E-flat to F-sharp is an augmented second. Make sure of secure intonation of the two flats and the raised seventh degree.