A Brief Introduction to Modes
in Early and Traditional European Music
by Patricia Vivien Yarrow
The
Church Modes
It should be stressed that
the system of modes used by the church was created to classify and describe
music that already existed. The music came
before the rules, and composing music in such a way as not to break the rules
thus derived was a later convention.
The system evolved
gradually, over the span of centuries.
It had some roots in the ancient Greek modal classification system,
which gave certain modes names that corresponded with certain regions and their
people. (The names we use for the modes
today derive from the Greek system.)
However, the Greek terms were misunderstood and incorrectly
applied.
Boethius, who died in 524,
wrote a treatise called De Institutione
Musica which discussed the tunings of the cithara, an open stringed
instrument, and various kinds of octave species. He used the term modus to translate the Greek tonos,
or key, which is the source of our word “tone.”
He did not discuss melodic formulae in relation to the modi.
His description listed the modi
from top to bottom, as the Greeks did; however, the Greeks wrote their scales
with the note lowest in pitch at the top and the note highest in pitch at the
bottom. Medieval theorists who were
building on Boethius’ work were not aware of this. Thus, our mode names are the reverse of those
used by the ancient Greeks. (For more
information on the history of the modes, see the bibliography. I have particularly drawn upon Music in the Middle Ages by Gustave
Reese, Gregorian Chant by Willi Appel
and The New
The church system as it
existed from about the 10th century forward classified modes based on
two factors: both the compass used,
called the ambitus, and the keynote,
called the finalis or final.
If the ambitus extended from the final up an octave, the mode was termed
authentic; if the ambitus extended a fourth
below the final to a fifth above it, the mode was termed plagal. The Church system
considers an authentic mode and its plagal version to be distinct but related
modes. However, it made no distinction
between a mode with B natural, one with B flat, one with mixed Bs, and one
omitting the B entirely. Each mode had
certain melodic formulae associated with it, and was associated with specific
types of chant. (A table of modal
distribution and discussion of the melodic formulae may be found in Gregorian Chant by Willi Appel for those
who are interested.)
|
Authentic Mode |
No. |
Ambitus |
Final |
Tenor |
B |
Plagal Mode |
No. |
Ambitus |
Final |
Tenor |
B |
|
Dorian |
I |
D - D |
D |
A |
B |
Hypodorian |
II |
A - A |
D |
F |
B |
|
Aeolian |
I |
D - D |
D |
A |
Bb |
Hypoaeolian |
II |
A - A |
D |
F |
Bb |
|
Phrygian |
III |
E - E |
E |
C |
B |
Hypophrygian |
IV |
B - B |
E |
A |
Bt |
|
Locrian |
III |
E - E |
E |
C |
Bb |
Hypolocrian |
IV |
B - B |
E |
A |
Bb |
|
Lydian |
V |
F - F |
F |
C |
B |
Hypolydian |
VI |
C - C |
F |
A |
B |
|
Ionian |
V |
F - F |
F |
C |
Bb |
Hypoionian |
VI |
C - C |
F |
A |
Bb |
|
Mixolydian |
VII |
G - G |
G |
D |
B |
Hypomixolydian |
VIII |
D - D |
G |
C |
B |
|
Dorian* |
VII |
G - G |
G |
D |
Bb |
(Hypodorian) |
VIII |
D - D |
G |
C |
Bb |
*The
G Dorian mode has one flat in the key signature. The D Dorian mode has no flats or sharps.
The tenor,
or reciting note, is found in the following manner:
·
In authentic
modes, the tenor is a fifth above the final.
·
In plagal modes,
the tenor is a third below the tenor of the corresponding authentic mode.
·
Whenever the
tenor would fall on B, it moves to C.
Even where there is not an
extended recitative passage, the tenor usually figures prominently in the
chant.
Worth noting is that when the Bb is used in Mode III or IV, the result is the Locrian or Hypolocrian, which is thus much more common in chant than most of us have been told. There are also some surviving Locrian chants that use B as the final. Many of the surviving Locrian chants share certain melodic features, and appear to be from the tenth to twelfth centuries.
Chant also makes use of various hexatonic and pentatonic modes. One in particular, a hexatonic Locrian-6, seems to be heavily associated with the Credo.
In 1547, the Swiss scholar Glarean (or
Glareanus) categorized the modes into fourteen possible patterns, of which he
rejected two (the Locrian and the Hypolocrian) as "defective." The
names he used for the C mode (Ionian, which resembles our modern major), the A
mode (Aeolian, the "natural minor") and the Locrian are all modes
that had been referred to by the ancient Greeks, though Apollo only knows what
they meant by them. The Glarean system is the basis for the heptatonic
"ethnic mode" system given next.
Note: Basic scales refer to those that
would result if a mode were placed so that it used only the white notes of a
modern keyboard. For hexatonic modes, there will be two basic positions; for
pentatonic, three.
"Ethnic"
Modes (European)
Heptatonic
|
Authentic |
Basic Scale |
Half Steps |
M/m |
Distinguishing Characteristic |
Plagal |
Scale |
Cadences |
Primary Chords |
|
Dorian |
D-D |
2-3, 6-7 |
m |
major 6th |
Hypo-Dorian |
A-A |
D, A |
i ii IV VII |
|
Aeolian |
A-A |
2-3, 5-6 |
m |
"natural minor" |
Hypo-Aeolian |
E-E |
A, E |
i v VII |
|
Phrygian |
E-E |
1-2, 5-6 |
m |
minor 2nd |
Hypo-Phrygian |
B-B |
E, B |
i II vii |
|
Locrian |
B-B |
1-2, 4-5 |
m |
Dim. 5th |
Hypo-Locrian |
F-F |
B, C or F |
i° II V |
|
Lydian |
F-F |
4-5, 7-8 |
M |
Aug. 4th |
Hypo-Lydian |
C-C |
F, C |
I II vii |
|
Ionian |
C-C |
3-4, 7-8 |
M |
all majors |
Hypo-Ionian |
G-G |
C, G |
I IV V |
|
Mixolydian |
G-G |
3-4, 6-7 |
M |
Minor 7th |
Hypo-Mixolydian |
D-D |
G, D |
I v VII |
Least common is the Locrian, which is
occasionally found in Icelandic and Greek music.
Some scholars include the Harmonic Minor,
A-A with G raised, as an eighth mode. This is common in Welsh and some Semitic
music. There are also modes based on this scale pattern, e.g., Phrygian with a
major 3rd, often used in Eastern European dance music.
Hexatonic
|
Authentic |
Basic Scales |
Half Step |
Omitted Scale o/Basic note |
M/m |
Plagal Available? |
Cadences |
|
D/A |
D-D, A-A |
2-3 |
6th/ B, F |
m |
Yes |
Tonic & Fifth |
|
A/P |
A-A, E-E |
5-6 |
2nd/ B, F |
m |
Yes |
Tonic & Fifth |
|
P/Lo |
E-E, B-B |
1-2 |
5th/ B, F |
m |
No |
Tonic & Second |
|
Ly/I |
F-F, C-C |
7-8 |
4th/ B, F |
M |
Yes |
Tonic & Fifth |
|
I/M |
C-C, G-G |
3-4 |
7th/ B, F |
M |
Yes |
Tonic & Fifth |
|
M/D |
G-G, D-D |
6-7 |
3rd/ B, F |
No |
Yes |
Tonic & Fifth |
The first basic scale given is with the B
omitted, the second with the F. The Hexatonic mode which would be ambiguous
between the Locrian and Lydian is impossible due to the omission of the tonic.
The Dorian/Aeolian is very common in traditional music, as is the
Ionian/Mixolydian.
There are some hexatonic modes found in
traditional music which follow other patterns, such as the Ionian without the
sixth scale degree and the Lydian with no seventh.
There is also one common hexatonic mode based on the harmonic minor tuning
pattern; it omits the sixth scale degree, and is common in African-American
music.
Pentatonic
|
Authentic |
Basic Scales |
Omitted Scale os |
M/m |
Plagal Available? |
Cadences |
|
|
p 1 I/Mi/Ly |
C-C, G-G, F-F |
4th, 7th |
M |
Yes |
Tonic & Fifth |
|
|
p 2 Mi/D/I |
G-G, D-D, C-C |
3rd, 7th |
No |
Yes |
Tonic & Fifth |
|
|
p 3 Mi/D/A |
D-D, A-A, G-G |
3rd, 6th |
No |
Yes |
Tonic & Fifth |
|
|
p 4 A/P/D |
A-A, E-E, D-D |
2nd, 6th |
m |
Yes |
Tonic & Fifth |
|
|
p 5 P/Lo/A |
E-E, B-B, A-A |
2nd, 5th |
m |
No |
Tonic & Fourth |
|
The first basic scale given is with F &
B omitted, the second with C & F, the third with B & E. There are two
impossible pentatonic modes: the Lo/Ly/P, omitting the 1st and 5th; and the
Ly/I/Lo, omitting the 1st and 4th. Sometimes the I/Mi/Ly is called the major
pentatonic, and the A/P/D the minor pentatonic, but all five occur in
traditional music. An example of a plagal, pentatonic tune is "Amazing
Grace."
There are also limited-range tunes which
never go beyond the first four or five notes of the scales; sometimes they
include the seventh (usually as a leading tone), but not the fifth or sixth.
There are also pentatonic modes that have five adjacent notes and then skip two
notes but include the higher octave such as 123451 or 7123471. I've seen a
number of these in French and Hebridean music; an example is the French carol
"Entre le Boeuf."
It's worth noting that some modes are more
in use in certain parts of the world, and that some types of sacred music are
more likely to use a particular mode. Unfortunately, I lost some of my notes on
this area, so I am omitting some generalizations from previous versions of this
site.
According to a survey of the songs collected
and printed in the English Journal of the Folk Song Society from
1899-1931, the following modal frequencies were observed:
|
Major |
635 |
44% |
|
Dorian |
200 |
14% |
|
Phrygian |
3 |
0.2% |
|
Lydian |
3 |
0.2% |
|
Mixolydian |
145 |
10% |
|
Aeolian |
203 |
14% |
|
Locrian |
1 |
- |
|
Minor |
32 |
2% |
|
Other* |
223 |
15% |
*Other includes pentatonic, hexatonic, and those
of mixed mode or scale.
Welsh music, and some Irish and English
music especially of the 15th through 18th centuries, use the Harmonic minor
extensively.
Chord Qualities
|
Mode |
Basic
Scale |
Omitted |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
|
Dorian |
D-D |
|
m |
m |
M |
M |
m |
dim |
M |
|
Aeolian |
A-A |
|
m |
dim |
M |
m |
m |
M |
M |
|
Phrygian |
E-E |
|
m |
M |
M |
m |
dim |
M |
m |
|
Locrian |
B-B |
|
dim |
M |
m |
m |
M |
M |
m |
|
Lydian |
F-F |
|
M |
M |
m |
dim |
M |
m |
m |
|
Ionian |
C-C |
|
M |
m |
m |
M |
M |
m |
dim |
|
Mixolydian |
G-G |
|
M |
m |
dim |
M |
m |
m |
M |
|
D/A |
D-D, A-A |
6th |
m |
m3 |
M |
P5 |
m |
- |
M |
|
A/P |
A-A, E-E |
2nd |
m |
- |
M |
m |
m3 |
M |
P5 |
|
P/Lo |
E-E, B-B |
5th |
m3 |
M |
P5 |
m |
- |
M |
m |
|
Ly/I |
F-F, C-C |
4th |
M |
P5 |
M |
- |
M |
m |
m3 |
|
I/M |
C-C, G-G |
7th |
M |
m |
m3 |
M |
P5 |
m |
- |
|
M/D |
G-G, D-D |
3rd |
P5 |
m |
- |
M |
m |
m3 |
M |
|
p 1 I/Mi/Ly |
C-C, G-G, F-F |
4th, 7th |
M |
P5 |
m3 |
- |
P5 |
m |
- |
|
p 2 Mi/D/I |
G-G, D-D, C-C |
3rd, 7th |
P5 |
m |
- |
M |
P5 |
m3 |
- |
|
p 3 Mi/D/A |
D-D, A-A, G-G |
3rd, 6th |
P5 |
m3 |
- |
P5 |
m |
- |
M |
|
p 4 A/P/D |
A-A, E-E, D-D |
2nd, 6th |
m |
- |
M |
P5 |
m3 |
- |
P5 |
|
p 5 P/Lo/A |
E-E, B-B, A-A |
2nd, 5th |
m3 |
- |
P5 |
m |
- |
M |
P5 |
Note: this brief guide was created in
1997-98. It is currently undergoing revision, and a multi-volume book is in
progress that will contain real examples of each mode, drawn from traditional
and early music, especially of the
Patricia Vivien Yarrow
September 2008
Acknowledgements and thanks:
My teachers and professors, especially Therese Schroeder-Sheker, Ann
Heymann, Dr. Larry Worster, Dr.
Bill Morse, Dr. Hal Tamblyn, Ms. Cherise Leiter and Dr. Nancy Gunn.
Alexei Kondratiev, multi-talented Celtic scholar, and Margo Schulter, early music scholar.
My students and the members of the ensembles I've directed over the years.
J. T. Escapule and Debra "Liz" Gettings for putting up with me harping on the subject all this time.
Return to my homepage or email me at yarrowp@mscd.edu.
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