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MORE ON MODES
A Step towards a
General Theory of Modes
Belgrade, 1995
©
by Rajko Maksimovic
Makenzijeva 35
11000 Belgrade
Serbia
e-mail: rajko188@gmail.com
http://www.rajko-maksimovic.net
http://www.myspace.com/rajkomaksimovic
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INTRODUCTION
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CHAPTER I
STARTING KNOWLEDGE
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In fact these names are from the Ancient Greeks which were (wrongly) used later in
Middle Ages
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Here the sign "+" stands for a whole-step diazeuxis, except the Lydian mode
where the sign "–" stands for a semitone.
When the upper tetrachord becomes the lower one (by the octave transposition)
it links with the other one (former lower, now upper) on the synaphe, thus
making a plagal mode:
keeping the same finalis as in the authentic mode and differing from it only in
melodic range.
It should be noted that the Lydian and Mixolydian modes have a major
triad on the finalis and form the major type, while the Dorian and Phrygean
modes have a minor triad on the finalis and form the minor type.
Each one of the modes is featuring one particular interval as its
representative, or characteristic one (counting from the finalis):
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modes – therefore, they are uncharacteristic modes having no characteristic
interval! Nevertheless we can include them in our list arranged by sharpness:
mode tetrachords interval characteristic
It should be noted that these modes are made either of identical or similar
(adjacent in our list) tetrachords. So called Locrian mode is out of this
discussion since it has no consonant triad on the tonic (it has a diminished triad)
and besides it is structurally unbalanced (it links two extreme tetrachords).
Nevertheless it may be of our particular interest:
It is never said in the book, but it is obvious, that the (perfect) octave is
considered as the measure of periodicity. That means that all modes repeat
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themselves in upper or lower octaves, i.e. after the completion of an octave they
proceed the same pattern out of it.
All these modes generate very specific harmonic structures and progressions. It
is possible to make chords of 3, 4, 5 or more tones either by skipping one tone
and take every other or to skip two tones and take every third. It is possible to
combine both these ways.
There are three types of pentatonic rows (using here only white piano keys):
Thanks to the absence of a semitone and tritone, tonal feeling is very doubtful.
Any of the tones may act as a tonic, so: no one is a real tonic. It is true that
among five tones, only one of them (marked bold) has major seconds on both
sides, but this is not enough to promote that tone as a real tonic.
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CHAPTER II
First of all we have to see what is our goal, i.e. what is the meaning of this
paper?
Brief answer might be in following few statements:
b) We can conclude that some kind of a tonal feeling helps both in organizing
musical form (time) by the composer and to its comprehensiveness by the
listener.
c) Among many problems of our time, one might be how to establish the sense
of tonic and yet to avoid worn out traditional solutions (especially of major-
minor system).
d) I think that the variety of modes I am going to present in this paper may be a
good base to start off. Naturally, I always underline that any method or system
or knowledge are just tools. Without the real talent of the user they remain an
empty shell without the living body. On the contrary: a talented person
without knowledge (tools) remains – the poor talent. Therefore, only the
talented and earnest person equipped with the broad knowledge, up-to-date
information and good taste may be one to create something really new and of
good quality.
At the very beginning I took the Messiaen's modal system and asked two
basic questions:
– Why all the segments of a mode must be identical?
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– Why the range of a mode must be an octave? What to do with the tone-rows
which – following certain logic or pattern – quite normally and smoothly
skip the tone of the first octave above?
When I began thinking this way I realized that the octave – though the first
natural transposition – as a mode frame is too cramped.
To answer the first question I was helped by the Mediaeval modes. Three of
them (Ionian, Dorian and Phrygean) are made of two identical tetrachords,
but the others (Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian) have different
ones.
That encouraged me to dig up even the Messiaen's modes! I took the third
one 211-211-211, and made another pattern: 211-121-112. (See figure on
sheet 4). That's different. That's the new mode! Then, I tried some unusual
combinations of tetrachords and also got the result (See sheet 4).
Then I "attacked" the octave range. I began from a scale (mode) known in
theory as the Antique Major – which links several major (Mixolydian)
tetrachords on the synaphe, like a chain. (See figure on sheet 3). Though most
of the tones have their octave transpositions, it is obvious that octave is not
the interval of periodicity of the mode as a whole. We may notice that "b
natural" and "e natural" in upper octaves have flats! For that reason the
mixolydian segment transforms into aeolian one in the upper octave. If, for
instance, we want the first tetrachord (g-a-b-c) to find transposed somewhere
else in the mode but in exactly the same sequence of tones (g-a-b-c), we have
to wait not less than 5 octaves! The interval of its periodicity is 5 octaves!
So the next thing I had realized was that:
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• Module is a unit similar and analogous to tetrachords in mediaeval theory
and to segments in Messiaen's, but it has specific features, too.
Each module has three essential (and variable) features:
– number of tones included in it
– internal disposition (spacing) of tones (interval pattern)
– occupied interval (range)
• Modules of one particular mode are made of a constant number of tones (3, 4,
5, i.e. trichords, tetrachords, pentachords etc.) – exactly like in the Messiaen's
theory – while the
• internal spacing of tones within modules of the same mode as well as
• their occupied intervals may vary, depending on type of the particular mode;
these two features are very unlike the Messiaen's system.
I. LINEAR TYPE
This type is built by the superposition of two, three, or more modules, linked
on the synaphe or with a diazeuxis in between.
• An octave may and (preferably) may not be the interval of periodical
repetition (transposition).
1.1. If it is, then we have the variety of modes mentioned earlier in this text,
such as: mediaeval modes, Messiaen's modes, pentatonic and many other
modes and scales of folk tradition or "synthetically" made; we can still do
something new, e.g. we can divide an octave on equal segments (like
Messiaen did), but to fill them (unlike Messiaen) with differently
organized (spaced) trichords, tetrachords etc. (see an example on Sheet 4);
I call all of them closed modes.
1.2/3 If the octave is not the interval of periodical repetition, then we have
several categories of basically different modes:
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1.1. –(By periodical repetition after 1 octave - see above) closed
1.2.1 – By periodical repetition after 2 octaves semi-closed
1.2.2 – By periodical repetition after 3 octaves semi-closed
1.3.1 – By periodical repetition after 5 octaves open
1.3.2 – By periodical repetition after 7 octaves open
1.4 – Non periodical (irregular)
1.1. The modes of the first category – octave modes – I call closed or finished
since everything happens within an octave (tones and their relations show
their qualities and potentials) and the octave as an interval is reachable by any
voice or instrument.
1.2. For that very reason, 2-octave-, and especially 3-octave-modes, I call
semi-closed since a voice or an instrument may not reach the (upper or lower)
end of the mode (which exists theoretically) and thus the mode may not show
all its characteristics and potentials in that voice.
1.3. Third category – 5-octave- and 7-octave-modes – in most cases will stay
"unfinished"; points of repetition (periodicity) will hardly be reached and the
awareness of both the beginning and the end of the mode will be missing.
Usually they are open on both sides. In extreme (though possible) cases, if a
work is scored for an orchestra, piano or organ, the whole range of five and
even seven octaves may be reached, either in succession or simultaneously. In
those cases, particularly, the following fact comes into force:
All modules of a linear mode occupy the same interval (min. 3rd, maj. 3rd,
perf. 4th, tritone, perf. 5th, min. 6th, maj. 6th, or: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 semitones).
• They may have an identical internal spacing (homogeneous modes), but it may
vary as well (heterogeneous modes).
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II. CENTRALLY ORIENTED MODES
Asymmetrical
• Looking the opposite way, from the ends towards the center, modules
decrease their range and consequently increase density and gravitation of the
center – tonic.
Of course, I am aware that all this is not The General Theory of Modes, as I
mentioned. Yet it gives the idea what the modes are and how they might be. I
may never finish this task but I think that this paper throws a new light on the
problem. Each composer may now dig on his (her) own. For the moment it is
enough.
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WARNING!
And now we come to the crucial question: what is the relation (if any)
between the rational element in music (knowledge, theories, systems etc.)
and irrational one – commonly called inspiration (or intuition)?
It’s the time to quote Anatole France here: “The art is being threatened by two
monsters: the Artist who is not master and the Master who is not artist”.
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