music theory Music theory is the study of theoretical frameworks for understanding the practices and possibilities of music. ''The Oxford Companion to Music'' describes three interrelated uses of the term "music theory": The first is the "Elements of music, ...

, the flamenco mode (also Major-Phrygian) is a harmonized mode or scale abstracted from its use in

flamenco Flamenco () is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the Gitanos, gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura and Region of Murcia, ...

music. In other words, it is the collection of pitches in ascending order accompanied by

chords Chord or chords may refer to: Art and music * Chord (music), an aggregate of musical pitches sounded simultaneously ** Guitar chord, a chord played on a guitar, which has a particular tuning * The Chords (British band), 1970s British mod ...

representing the pitches and chords used together in flamenco songs and pieces. The

key signature In Western musical notation, a key signature is a set of sharp (), flat (), or rarely, natural () symbols placed on the staff at the beginning of a section of music. The initial key signature in a piece is placed immediately after the cl ...

is the same as that of the

Phrygian mode : The Phrygian mode (pronounced ) can refer to three different musical modes: the ancient Greek ''tonos'' or ''harmonia,'' sometimes called Phrygian, formed on a particular set of octave species or scales; the medieval Phrygian mode, and the m ...

(on E: no accidentals; on C: four flats), with the raised third and seventh being written in as necessary with accidentals. Its modal/ tonal characteristics are prominent in the

Andalusian cadence The Andalusian cadence (diatonic phrygian tetrachord) is a term adopted from flamenco music for a chord progression comprising four chords descending stepwise: iv–III–II–I progression with respect to the Phrygian mode or i–VII–VI–V pr ...

The exact chords depend on the song form (''

palo Palo may refer to: Places * Palo, Estonia, village in Meremäe Parish, Võru County, Estonia * Palo, Huesca, municipality in the province of Huesca, Spain * Palo, Iowa, United States, a town located within Linn County * Palo Laziale, a location ...

'') and

guitar chord In music, a guitar Chord (music), chord is a Set (mathematics), set of Musical note, notes played on a guitar. A chord's notes are often played simultaneously, but they can be played sequentially in an arpeggio. The implementation of guitar chor ...

positionsFernández, Lola (2005). ''Flamenco Music Theory: Rhythm, Harmony, Melody, Form'', p.77. . since chord voicings in flamenco often include nontriadic pitches, especially open strings.Tenzer, Michael (2006). ''Analytical Studies in World Music'', p.97. . It is characteristic that III, II, and I appear as dissonant chords with a minimum of four tones (for example

seventh chord A seventh chord is a chord (music), chord consisting of a triad (music), triad plus a note forming an interval (music), interval of a Interval (music), seventh above the chord's root (chord), root. When not otherwise specified, a "seventh chord" ...

s or mixed third chord). Since the

tetrachord In music theory, a tetrachord (; ) is a series of four notes separated by three interval (music), intervals. In traditional music theory, a tetrachord always spanned the interval of a perfect fourth, a 4:3 frequency proportion (approx. 498 cent (m ...

beginning on the tonic may ascend or descend with either G-sharp or natural (Phrygian tetrachord), the mixed-thirds clash between the major third degree (G) in the

melody A melody (), also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones that the listener perceives as a single entity. In its most literal sense, a melody is a combination of Pitch (music), pitch and rhythm, while more figurativel ...

and the minor third degree (G) in the accompanying

harmony In music, harmony is the concept of combining different sounds in order to create new, distinct musical ideas. Theories of harmony seek to describe or explain the effects created by distinct pitches or tones coinciding with one another; harm ...

occurs frequently and is characteristic of the flamenco esthetic, as with the

blues scale The term blues scale refers to several different scales with differing numbers of pitches and related characteristics. A blues scale is often formed by the addition of an out-of-key " blue note" to an existing scale, notably the flat fifth additio ...

on a

major chord In music theory, a major chord is a chord (music), chord that has a root (chord), root, a major third, and a perfect fifth. When a chord comprises only these three notes, it is called a major Triad (music), triad. For example, the major triad bui ...

This tetrachord may be copied in the second, producing a D and allowing an

augmented sixth chord In music theory, an augmented sixth chord contains the interval (music), interval of an augmented sixth, usually above its bass note, bass tone. This chord (music), chord has its origins in the Renaissance music, Renaissance, was further develop ...

on the second degree: B⁷⁵/F.Fernández (2005), p.79.

Lou Harrison Lou Silver Harrison (May 14, 1917 – February 2, 2003) was an American composer, music critic, music theorist, painter, and creator of unique musical instruments. Harrison initially wrote in a dissonant, ultramodernist style similar to his for ...

composed a "Sonata in Ishartum" (1974 or 1977), which has been arranged by Tolgahan Çoğulu (2001), part of his ''Suite''. In early scholarship regarding a Babylonian cuneiform inscription tuning tablet from the eighteenth century BC, "Ishartum" was equated with the modern Phrygian, but now it is considered equivalent to the Ionian mode/major scale. Çoğulu's arrangement, at least, is the white note mode on E in Pythagorean tuning, as follows (): F, C, G, D, A, E, B (F, C, ''G''), or E (1/1), F (256/243), G (32/27), A (4/3), B (3/2), C (128/81), D (16/9), E (2/1), with G being 81/64.Çoğulu, Tolgahan (Apr 14, 2010). "The piece is in "Pythagorean Tuning" with pure fifths."

References

{{Scales Flamenco Modes (music) Heptatonic scales Tritonic scales

See also

References