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Mixolydian mode may refer to one of three things: the name applied to one of the ancient Greekharmoniai ortonoi, based on a particularoctave species orscale; one of the medievalchurch modes; or a modernmusical mode ordiatonic scale, related to the medieval mode. (The Hypomixolydian mode of medieval music, by contrast, has no modern counterpart.)
The modern diatonic mode is the scale forming the basis of both the rising and falling forms ofHarikambhoji inCarnatic music, the classical music form of southern India, orKhamaj inHindustani music, the classical music form of northern India.
The idea of a Mixolydian mode comes from the music theory ofancient Greece. The invention of the ancient Greek Mixolydian mode was attributed toSappho, the7th-century-B.C. poet and musician.[1] However, what the ancient Greeks thought of as Mixolydian is very different from the modern interpretation of the mode. The prefixmixo- (μιξο-) means "mixed", referring to its resemblance to theLydian mode.
In Greek theory, the Mixolydiantonos (the term "mode" is a later Latin term) employs a scale (or "octave species") corresponding to the GreekHypolydian mode inverted. In itsdiatonic genus, this is a scale descending fromparamese tohypate hypaton: in the diatonic genus, awhole tone (paramese tomese) followed by two conjunct invertedLydiantetrachords (each being two whole tones followed by asemitone descending). This diatonic genus of the scale is roughly the equivalent of playing all thewhite notes of a piano from B to B, which is also known as modernLocrian mode.
In thechromatic andenharmonic genera, each tetrachord consists of aminor third plus two semitones, and amajor third plus twoquarter tones, respectively.[2]
The termMixolydian was originally used to designate one of the traditionalharmoniai of Greek theory. It was appropriated later (along with six other names) by 2nd-century theoristPtolemy to designate his seventonoi ortransposition keys. Four centuries later,Boethius interpreted Ptolemy in Latin, still with the meaning of transposition keys, not scales.
When chant theory was first being formulated in the 9th century, these seven names plus an eighth, Hypermixolydian (later changed to Hypomixolydian), were again re-appropriated in the anonymous treatiseAlia Musica. A commentary on that treatise, called theNova expositio, first gave it a new sense as one of a set of eight diatonicspecies of the octave, or scales.[3] The nameMixolydian came to be applied to one of the eight modes of medieval church music: the seventh mode. This mode does not run from B to B on white notes, as the Greek mode, but was defined in two ways: as the diatonic octave species from G up one octave to the G above, or as a mode whose final was G and whoseambitus runs from the F below the final to the G above, with possible extensions "by licence" up to A above and even down to E below, and in which the note D (the tenor of the corresponding seventh psalm tone) had an important melodic function.[4] This medieval theoretical construction led to the modern use of the term for the natural scale from G to G.
The seventh mode of western church music is anauthentic mode based on and encompassing the natural scale from G to G, with theperfect fifth (the D in a G to G scale) as the dominant,reciting note ortenor.
Theplagal eighth mode was termedHypomixolydian (or "lower Mixolydian") and, like the Mixolydian, was defined in two ways: as the diatonic octave species from D to the D an octave higher, divided at the mode final, G (thus D–E–F–G + G–A–B–C–D); or as a mode with a final of G and an ambitus from C below the final to E above it, in which the note C (the tenor of the corresponding eighth psalm tone) had an important melodic function.[5]
In theCommon practice period, the Hypomixolydian is notably used in the sacred section (marked withAndante maestoso) of Beethoven's renownedNinth symphony finale, through male chorus'plainchantintonation of the "Seid Umschlungen, Millionen" and "Brüder, Uber'm Sternerzelt" verses.[6] The mode is featured again in the following doublefugue, when the plainchant "Seid Umschlungen, Millionen" theme gets combined with the Ode to Joy melody.[7]
The modern Mixolydian scale is the fifthmode of themajor scale (Ionian mode). That is, it can be constructed by starting on the fifth scale degree (thedominant) of the major scale. Because of this, the Mixolydian mode is sometimes called thedominant scale.[8]
The Mixolydian scale has the formula
That is, the scale has the same series oftones andsemitones as the major scale, but with aminor seventh. As a result, the seventh scale degree is asubtonic, rather than aleading-tone.[9] Theflattened seventh of the scale is a tritone away from themediant (major-third degree) of thekey. The order of whole tones and semitones in a Mixolydian scale is
In the Mixolydian mode, thetonic,subdominant, andsubtonictriads are allmajor, themediant isdiminished, and the remaining triads areminor. A classic Mixolydian chord progression is I-♭VII-IV-V.[10]
The Mixolydian mode is common in non-classical harmony, such asfolk,jazz,funk,blues, and rock music. It is often prominently heard in music played on theGreat Highland bagpipes.
[In the blues progression, for] example [often] uses D Mixolydian triads ... over the D7 [tonic] chord, then uses G Mixolydian triads ... over the G7 [subdominant] chord, and so on.[11]
As with natural and harmonic minor, Mixolydian is often used with a major seventh degree as a part of the dominant andperfect cadences. "Wild Thing" byThe Troggs is a, "perfect example," while others include "Tangled Up in Blue" byBob Dylan, "Shooting Star" byBad Company, and "Bold as Love" byJimi Hendrix.[10]
Klezmer musicians refer to the Mixolydian scale as theAdonai malakh mode. In Klezmer, it is usually transposed to C, where the main chords used are C, F, and G7 (sometimes Gm).[12]
To hear a modern Mixolydian scale, one can play a G-major scale on the piano, but change the F♯ to F♮.
| Major Key | Minor Key | Key Signatures | Tonic | Component pitches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C♯ major | A♯ minor | 7♯ | G♯ | G♯ A♯ B♯ C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯ |
| F♯ major | D♯ minor | 6♯ | C♯ | C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯ G♯ A♯ B |
| B major | G♯ minor | 5♯ | F♯ | F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯ E |
| E major | C♯ minor | 4♯ | B | B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A |
| A major | F♯ minor | 3♯ | E | E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D |
| D major | B minor | 2♯ | A | A B C♯ D E F♯ G |
| G major | E minor | 1♯ | D | D E F♯ G A B C |
| C major | A minor | - | G | G A B C D E F |
| F major | D minor | 1♭ | C | C D E F G A B♭ |
| B♭ major | G minor | 2♭ | F | F G A B♭ C D E♭ |
| E♭ major | C minor | 3♭ | B♭ | B♭ C D E♭ F G A♭ |
| A♭ major | F minor | 4♭ | E♭ | E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C D♭ |
| D♭ major | B♭ minor | 5♭ | A♭ | A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G♭ |
| G♭ major | E♭ minor | 6♭ | D♭ | D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ |
| C♭ major | A♭ minor | 7♭ | G♭ | G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F♭ |
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Hit songs in Mixolydian include "Paperback Writer"..., "Manic Depression"..., "Fire"..., "Reelin' in the Years"..., "Only You Know and I Know"..., "The Tears of a Clown"..., "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough"..., "Norwegian Wood"..., "Saturday Night's Alright..., "My Generation"..., "Centerfold"..., "Boogie Fever"..., "Hollywood Nights"..., and many others.[13]
Some song examples that are either entirely based in Mixolydian mode or at least have a Mixolydian section include the following: "But Anyway"..., "Cinnamon Girl"..., "Cult of Personality"..., "Fire on the Mountain"..., "Franklin's Tower"..., "Get Down Tonight".[14]
Media related toMixolydian mode at Wikimedia Commons
