Download Appendix 4 Modes

APPENDIX 4 MODES
The music of Europe from the Middle Ages to the end of the Renaissance (from the Fall of Rome in 476 to around
1600) was based on a system of scales called modes; we identify this music as “modal music.” Two of these
modes, the Ionian and Aeolian modes, continued to be used in Western music from around 1600 through much
of the nineteenth century, creating the major-minor system; we identify this music as “tonal music.” Beginning
in the late nineteenth century, composers began to use modes again as the basis of their pieces. Popular music
from the Middle Ages to the present, including folk and some jazz melodies, has roots in the modes.
There are seven modes. Notice that:
•
•
•
•
Modes span an octave, beginning and ending on the same pitch.
Each mode consists of a different arrangement of whole steps and half steps.
Medieval theorists gave Greek names to the modes although they do not resemble Greek modes.
The modes are written without accidentals. In practice, Medieval musicians added the Bb and later, other
accidentals, to avoid the tritone (A4 or d5). Adding accidentals contributed to the eventual breakdown of
the modal system.
Ionian mode (presently the major scale); has half steps between 3-4 and 7-8.
HS
HS
Dorian mode has half steps between 2-3 and 6-7.
HS
HS
Phrygian mode has half steps between 1-2 and 5-6.
HS
HS
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Lydian mode has half steps between 4-5 and 7-8.
HS
HS
Mixolydian mode has half steps between 3-4 and 6-7.
HS
HS
Aeolian mode (presently the natural minor scale) has half steps between 2-3 and 5-6.
HS
HS
Locrian mode has half steps between 1-2 and 4-5.
HS
HS
Historical note
Gregory the Great, the first great pope of the Middle Ages, solidified papal power (c. 590–604). He is credited with composing
much of the music used in the Roman liturgy, resulting in the label “Gregorian chant.” It is more likely that Pope Gregory codified
these chants, rather than composing them. To the original four modes described by St. Ambrose, the fourth century theorist, Pope
Gregory added four others.
M O D E S
Exercise 1
Following are two examples of Gregorian chant from the 11th – 13th centuries. In these examples, the first and
last pitch of each example is the first note of the mode of the piece. Medieval theorists called this note the finalis
(comparable to our tonic). Notice that the chants are written without time signatures or barlines.
1.
Kyrie, Easter Mass (Mixolydian mode)
2.
Alleluia (Dorian mode)
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Exercise 2
Many folk songs are modal; frequently, composers wrote melodies based on folk song or dance elements. Identify
the mode of the following examples.
1.
“Wayfaring Stranger,” American spiritual
2.
“D’ror Yikra,” Middle Eastern folk song
Notice the changing time signatures. Keep the quarter note beat constant throughout the song.
M O D E S
3.
Mazurka, Op. 24, No. 2 (F. Chopin) (Originally written an octave higher.)
Vocabulary
MAZURKA
A mazurka (“mazurek” in Polish), is a Polish dance in triple meter, usually with an accent on the second or third beat. It frequently
uses trills, triplets, two eighth notes followed by two quarter notes, or a dotted eighth followed by a sixteenth note. Like many
Polish folk songs, mazurkas are modal, usually Lydian. Chopin, whose mother was Polish, composed over 50 stylized mazurkas.
RITEN
(Italian: ritenuto) means ’held back’, to suddenly slow the tempo.
riten.
riten.
Transposing Modes
Modes originally were sung without any accidentals; on the keyboard, we would only use the white keys from
C to C (Ionian), D to D (Dorian), and so forth. Just as major and minor scales may be played beginning on any
note (called transposition), modes may also be transposed to different pitches. There are two methods to
transpose modes: 1) using the arrangement of whole and half steps; 2) using the key signature.
First Method of Modal Transposition: Using Whole
and Half Steps
Begin by reviewing the arrangement of whole and half steps for each mode given at the beginning of this
appendix. For example, the Phrygian mode has half steps between 1 – 2 and 5 – 6. Notice the accidentals that
would be needed to create these half steps when the Phrygian mode begins on G, rather than E.
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G Phyrgian mode
HS
HS
The Mixolydian mode has half steps between 3 – 4 and 6 – 7. To transpose the Mixolydian mode from G to F,
two flats would be needed as shown below.
F Mixolydian
HS
HS
Second Method of Modal Transposition: Using the
Key Signature
When only the white keys of the keyboard are used to write the modes, the Ionian mode begins on C. When we
transpose the Ionian mode to a different note, we can use the key signature of the corresponding major scale of
the Ionian mode. For example, if the Ionian mode begins on Eb, the major key signature for Eb is three flats: Bb,
Eb and Ab. All other modes now begin on subsequent notes of the Eb major scale as shown below.
Eb Ionian mode: half steps between 3 – 4 and 7 – 8.
HS
HS
D Locrian
C Aeolian
Bb Mixolydian
Ab Lydian
G Phrygian
F Dorian
Eb Ionian
M O D E S
To write the G Phrygian mode, we begin on G and use three flats in the key signature. (Note that the Phrygian
mode is a M3 above the Ionian mode; G is a M3 above Eb.) Compare this with G Phrygian written using the first
method of constructing modes using whole and half steps.
G Phrygian mode with a key signature
HS
HS
To write the Bb Mixolydian mode, we begin on Bb and use three flats in the key signature. (Note that the
Mixolydian mode is the fifth note (P5) above the Ionian mode; Bb is a P5 above Eb.) Compare this with the Bb
Mixolydian written using whole and half steps.
Bb Mixolydian mode with a key signature
HS
HS
Notice:
•
•
In order to use a key signature to determine the accidentals in a mode, establish the interval of the first note
of the mode (which we will call the “tonic”) in relation to the “tonic” of the Ionian mode.
Study the following list.
Ionian
Dorian
Phrygian
Lydian
Mixolydian
Aeolian
Locrian
Tonic note of a major scale.
Second note of a major scale, M2 above the tonic
Third note of a major scale, M3 above the tonic
Fourth note of a major scale, P4 above the tonic
Fifth note of a major scale, P5 above the tonic
Sixth note of a major scale, M6 above the tonic
Seventh note of a major scale, M7 above the tonic
Exercise 3
Using the list given above, you can determine the mode of a song by determining the interval of tonic of the
major scale to the tonic of the mode.
Example: “Black Is the Color of My True Love’s Hair,” American folk song
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This folk song was popular in the Appalachian Mountains from 1915, but probably came from Scotland and is
part of the Celtic (Scottish) music tradition.
To find the mode of “Black Is the Color,” follow the steps given below.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Name the major key with one sharp. G major
Identify the interval of the last note of song (A) to the major tonic note (G). M2
Using this interval, determine the mode. ‘A’ Dorian is the second note (M2) above the major tonic note.
Draw the‘A’ Dorian mode. (Note: HS between 2 – 3 and 6 – 7.)
HS
1.
“Old Joe Clark,” American folk song
HS
M O D E S
Using the following steps, determine the mode of “Old Joe Clark.”
1.
2.
3.
4.
Name the major key with two sharps.
Identify the interval of last note of song to the tonic note of the major scale.
Using this interval, determine the mode.
Draw the mode and indicate the half steps (HS).
2.
“Hitragut,” Middle Eastern folk song
Using the following steps, identify the mode of “Hitragut.”
1.
2.
3.
4.
Name the major key with two flats.
Identify the interval of last note of song to the tonic note of the major scale.
Using this interval, determine the mode.
Draw the mode and indicate the half steps (HS).
Modes and Blues Harmony
Beginning in the 1950’s and 1960’s, jazz, rock and blues musicians began to use modal harmonies in their songs.
Listen to Miles Davis (including “So What” and the album “Kind of Blue”), The Rolling Stones (“I’m Crying”),
The Who, or Crosby, Stills and Nash for examples of modal influences in jazz, rock, or blues music.