Phrygian mode

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The Phrygian mode also known in Arabic and in the Middle East as the Kurdish mode is a mode in music.

This mode due to historical confusion can refer to two very different musical modes or diatonic scales.

1 Greek Phrygian mode
2 Mediaeval and modern Phrygian mode
3 Phrygian mode in jazz and pop
4 Mediaeval and Renaissance Use
5 Modern Use
6 See Also
7 External links

[edit] Greek Phrygian mode

The Phrygian mode is named after the ancient kingdom of Phrygia in Anatolia. In Greek music theory it was based on the Phrygian tetrachord: a series of rising intervals of a whole tone, followed by a semitone, followed by a whole tone. Applied to a whole octave, the Phrygian mode was built upon two Phrygian tetrachords separated by a whole tone. This is the same as playing all the white notes on a piano keyboard from E to E: E F G | A B C D E. Placing the two tetrachords together, and the single tone at bottom of the scale produces the Hypophrygian mode (below Phrygian): G | A B C D | (D) E F G. Placing the two tetrachords together, and the single tone at the top of the scale produces the Hyperphrygian mode (above Phrygian), which is effectively the same as the Hypodorian mode: A B C D | (D) E F G | A. Confusingly, the ancient-Greek Phrygian mode is the same as the mediaeval and modern Dorian mode.

[edit] Mediaeval and modern Phrygian mode

The early Catholic church developed a system of eight musical modes (the octoechos), which mediaeval music scholars related to the ancient Greek modes. However, due to a misinterpretation of the Latin texts of Boethius, mediaeval modes were given the wrong Greek names. Thus, in mediaeval and modern music, the Phrygian mode is a minor musical mode or diatonic scale and may be constructed from the major scale starting on the third scale degree. The scale consists of flat 2, flat 3, flat 6, and flat 7 in the starting pitch's major scale.

Using a major diatonic pattern as the starting point, the mediaeval and modern Phrygian mode has the formula 1, b2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7. Its tonic chord is a minor triad: this would be E minor in the white-note version of the Phrygian mode, which is also the mediant triad in the key of C major.

Following this pattern, if we start with an E Major diatonic scale (E,F#,G#,A,B,C#,D#,E), the Phrygian mode may be played on the white keys of the piano, going from E to E (simply remove all the sharps):

E,F,G,A,B,C,D,E.

If the third note is augmented back to its major scale value, a Phrygian dominant scale, which is the fifth mode of the Harmonic Minor scale will be produced. Phrygian-dominant is also known as the Spanish gypsy scale, and is often used in flamenco music. Some flamenco music uses both Phrygian and Phrygian-dominant (often switching back and forth between these two scales).

Possibly reflecting this flamenco usage, the 11th movement of Isaac Albéniz's Iberia, "Jerez", has substantial passages near the beginning which can be seen as pure E Phrygian, including later on instances of the tonic triad being changed to the major. (It's a little ambiguous, because the same passage could be seen as A Aeolian, followed by A minor when the dominant major triads enter the music.)

Some Italian songs, like most of The Godfather soundtrack themes, are promptly recognized as Italian music by the flat second note, which identifies the Phrygian mode.

The horn call that begins and ends the slow movement of Brahms' Fourth Symphony is based on the Phrygian mode, out of which the main theme of this movement emerges.

[edit] Phrygian mode in jazz and pop

Jazz musicians use the Phrygian mode over a "sus4(b9)" chord. Even though Phrygian mode contains a flat 3 and natural 5, the root chord quality is not typically a minor triad (as it is in Aeolian and Dorian modes). Instead, Phrygian is associated with a sus4(b9) chord quality (In C Phrygian, this chord is often voiced as C, Db, F, G). In this case, the third scale degree is considered an avoid tone, because it strays from the sus4(b9) quality and begins to imply a minor triad as the root chord instead of sus4(b9).

[edit] Mediaeval and Renaissance Use

Josquin's 4-part setting of Mille Regretz is in the Phrygian mode throughout.
Josquin's 6-part motet Praeter Rerum Seriem is also in the Phrygian mode, as is Cipriano de Rore's 7-part Missa Praeter Rerum Seriem.

[edit] Modern Use

Some examples of Phrygian mode's usage in today's modern music include the Jefferson Airplane song "White Rabbit", the Bjork song "Hunter", the theme song of Unsolved Mysteries, and the Jimmy Somerville song "So Cold The Night".

Phrygian mode is also widely used by Heavy Metal musicians because of its dark feeling. Some examples include the Metallica song "Wherever I May Roam", the Megadeth song "Symphony of Destruction" and the Iron Maiden song "Remember Tomorrow"

Rodgers and Hammerstein's My Favorite Things features a phrygian scale from E to E with a note per syllable on "these are a few of my fav-[or]-ite [things]" where the middle of favorite is the raised subtonic and the things is again the f.
The Phrygian mode was very fashionable in the pop music of the late 1960s. Examples are "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane and Matilda Mother (organ solo) & "Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun" by Pink Floyd.
The vocal line in the closing aria of Philip Glass' opera Satyagraha consists only of the ascending Phrygian mode but sung about thirty times.
The verse of the song Sullen Girl by Fiona Apple is written in F# Phrygian.
The song Would? by the Seattle-based band Alice in Chains is written in F Phrygian.
The song Calling to You by Robert Plant is in E Phrygian.
The Predator (film) movie theme is also mostly Phrygian, E minor with the second note being F instead of F#, even though some parts of this theme do use sharp keys in tone modulations.
There are two instance of this mode in Rush's music: The guitar solo of "YYZ" (in the 1981 album Moving Pictures) and the intro of La Villa Strangiato (in the 1978 album "Hemispheres")
Danny Elfman frequently uses the Phrygian mode starting on different keys for his scoring.
Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis is in the Phrygian mode.
Guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen regularly uses the Phrygian mode and modes of the Harmonic Minor scale in most of his compositions.
The theme song to the popular NBC/CBS series Unsolved Mysteries which aired during the 90s.
Metallica lead guitarist Kirk Hammett uses a phrygian dominant scale in the guitar solo for "Wherever I May Roam".
Steve Vai's song "For the Love of God"
The fictional death metal band Dethklok's song "Facefisted" is subtitled "(New Phrygian Song)".
The song "The Sails Of Charon" written by Uli Jon Roth.
"Deeper Underground" by Jamiroquai is in C Phrygian.
In video games, the theme music for the character Magus from Chrono Trigger (with music by Yasunori Mitsuda) uses the Phrygian mode.
Also in video games, two pieces from Super Metroid use the Phrygian mode. The theme for Lower Norfair begins its motif in C Phrygian, continues to play the same motif in D# Phrygian, F# Phrygian, and A Phrygian, the key in which the rest of the piece is set (this theme is later used in the Magmoor Caverns in Metroid Prime). Additionally, the piano/choir/flute theme heard in Brinstar is in D# Phrygian (alternating between the D# minor and E major chords).