ECCLESIASTICAL MODES
Sir,-I was interested in the article by "H.J.F." tracing the none-too-ob-vious connection between a butterfly and a racing commentator, With all due respect to "H.J.F.", he is rather at sea on the subject of the ecclesiastical modes. He stated that the Lydian mode corresponds. to our major scale, which is rank heresy. The Lydian mode corresponds to the sounds produced when we play the white notes on the pianoforte between one F
and the next, but without the B flat of our major scale. Sometimes the B is flattened according to a special licence known as musica ficta, but in the authentic mode the B is natural. The mode which actually does correspond to our major scale is the Ionian..The other modes are the Dorian (D to D), the Phrygian (E to E), the Mixolydian (G to G), the Aeolian (A to A), and the Locrian (B to B). Later in the same article "H.J.F." mentions, "French composers .... arguing that even the 12-tone scale is and should be replaced by one of 18." I wonder if "H.J;F*has heard of the Moravian, Alois Haba who has written compositions for :instruments in sixth tones, i.e., 36 kien tad the octave. This same composer has written quarter-tone music for string quartet and for small orchestra. A quarter-tone piano was patented in 1892 by G. A. .Behrens-Senegaldens of Berlin. The practice of playing and composing in microtones isp known as microtonality. Whether there is a future for microtonal music is doubtful, but nevertheless it is a significant trend. en te
STUDENT (Christchurch),
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 22, Issue 546, 9 December 1949, Page 5
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260ECCLESIASTICAL MODES New Zealand Listener, Volume 22, Issue 546, 9 December 1949, Page 5
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