[Smt-talk] Examples of Modes

[Nicolas Meeùs]

What a strange question! Any book of Gregorian chant would provide what 
you are looking for. Take for instance the Antiphonale pro diurnis horis 
(http://imslp.org/wiki/Antiphonale_%28Gregorian_Chant%29), you'll find 
hundreds of examples of each of the modes, each identified by a Roman 
numeral (from I to VIII) at the left of the first staff.

What the book does not say, however, is _why_ these melodies are 
attributed to these modes nor (therefore) in what sense each of them can 
be thought to exemplify its mode. This nevertheless probably is what you 
are looking for.

Harold Powers has warned us against generalizations concerning the 
'modes', which, he believed, were not 'real', as you may know. His /New 
Grove/ article (the 1980 original of which predates his warnings an in a 
way was the origin of his doubts) remains one of the most important 
texts on the subjecr. Powers' warnings were much needed but I think that 
they may have impeded the reflexion on these matters.

If you read French, you might want to consider the text of my classes on 
modal theory (already almost ten years old, I am frightened to 
ascertain), http://www.plm.paris-sorbonne.fr/Musique-ancienne, 
especially chapters 1 and 2. These were meant for undergraduate 
students, especially students by correspondence. They hardly consider 
the historical aspect of the matter and are criticable on this point. I 
believe nevertheless that my synchronic point of view makes it possible 
to untangle a difficult matter and to explain in simple terms a matter 
that remains complex.

Nicolas Meeùs
Université Paris-Sorbonne




Le 18/08/2013 05:12, Luke Schwartz a écrit :
> Dear Colleagues,
>
> I am in search of examples of all church modes. I'm sure this has come 
> up before, but it seems as though there is not an easy-to-find solid 
> source or textbook with examples from literature for all the modes. 
> Any suggestions out there for sources or individual examples? Thanks 
> for your time!
>
> Kind Regards,
>
> -- 
> Luke P. Schwartz, Composer/Guitarist
> Music Faculty - Kaufman Center - New York, NY 
> <x-apple-data-detectors://0/0>
> LSchwartzMusic at gmail.com <mailto:LSchwartzMusic at gmail.com>
> www.lukeschwartz.com <http://www.lukeschwartz.com/>
>
>
> -- 
> Luke P. Schwartz, Composer/Guitarist
> Music Faculty - Kaufman Center - New York, NY
> LSchwartzMusic at gmail.com <mailto:LSchwartzMusic at gmail.com>
> www.lukeschwartz.com <http://www.lukeschwartz.com/>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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