=============================================================================
= Scales and Modes in Scottish Traditional Music =
= Jack Campin =
=============================================================================
Multiple Modes in the Same Tune
===============================
Some tunes switch mode partway through. This tune does it in the way most
familiar in tonal music - a shift from major to minor on the same tonal
centre and back again:
X:0
T:Michael's Mazurka
C:Michael Ferrie
M:3/4
L:1/8
Q:3/4=40
F:http://www.campin.me.uk/Music/Modes/Modes-multiple.abc 2024-04-19 152713 UT
K:G
D2 | G4 A/B/c|B2 BA GF |EG GB AG | FG FE DF |
G4 A/B/c|B2 BA GF |EG GB A/G/F| G4 :|
K:GDor
D2 | G3 A Bc |d2 dc BG |A^F AF DF | G>A B/c/d g2 |
G2 GA Bc |d3 c BG |A^F AF DF | G4 :|
K:G
A/B/d|:g6 |d4 cB |A2 a3 g | fd cd ef |
g4 b2 |g4 d/c/B|A2 a3 g | fd cA FD |
G2 AB G2 |A2 Bc A2 |B2 cd B2 | c2 de c2 |
d2 g4 |f3 g a/g/f|g3 f ga |[1 g3 d Bd:|\
[2 g4 |]
Modal music has a wider range of possibilities. The oldest notated
version of the song "Tibbie Fowler" is very simple:
X:0
T:Owin at her
G:song or reel
S:Margaret Sinkler MS, Glasgow 1710
M:4/4
L:1/4
Q:1/2=160
K:GMix % mixolydian/dorian hexatonic
A|GGGA|FFcA|GGGA|F>ED:|
f|dddf|cAfc|ddde|f>edg|
fdfc|AFcA|GGGA|F>ED|]
Later versions are often like this one. The seventh varies between
natural and sharp, making it a mixture of major and mixolydian.
X:0
T:Tibbie Fowler of the Glen
G:country dance
S:Duke of Perth MS (NLS MS 21715)
M:C|
L:1/8
Q:1/2=96
K:GMix
E|DGGA ^F>GAc|BGGA ^F>EDE|G/G/G GA ^FGAc|dGGA ^F>ED:|
a|fddf c>dcA|fdde f>gag|fddf AFcA|dGGA ^F>ED:|
And in this one (a Shetland tune said to be of Greenlandic Inuit origin)
the G is variable. I'm not confident that it has a single tonal centre -
E is my best guess.
X:0
T:Da Greenland Man's Tune
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:3/8=84
K:EMix
d2B c2A|BcB E3 |F2=G A2G|FD2 D3 |
d2B c2A|BcB E3 |G2A B2G|A3 A3:|
B2B B2c|d2d d2B|A2A A2F|D2E F2A|
B2B B2c|d2d d2B|A2F F2D|E3 E3:|
In some musical idioms, like the more archaic forms of Hungarian folk
music, variable thirds originated as NEUTRAL thirds - the pitch used
to be the same throughout the tune, midway between a major and a minor
third, like the C on a Highland pipe. There are probably Scottish tunes
that have developed like that, but I haven't identified one.
Mode-shifting is a common feature of Scandinavian music, of which Shetland
music in in some ways an offshoot. This pair of Shetland tunes (often
played together) both shift mode. The first one simply fills a gap, with
the first part hexatonic and the later ones heptatonic:
X:0
T:Da Full Rigged Ship
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:3/8=72
K:ADor
e|e2a aea|aea aba|e2f g2g|gag f2
d|e2a aea|aea aba|g2e edB|A3 E2:|
z|efe edB|A2B c3 |B2G B2G|Bcd E3 |
efe edB|A2B c2d|efe dBG|A3 A2:|
G|EGE EGE|EGE c3 |EGE E2D|E2F GEC|
EGE EGE|EGE c2d|efe dBG|A3 A2:|
The second tune fills a gap at the third (but making it major), and then
lowers that third from major to minor in the last part:
X:0
T:Da New Rigged Ship
M:C|
L:1/8
Q:1/2=112
K:ADor
eg|a2ab ageg|a2ab agef|g2gg fgag|f2d2 d2:|
K:A Mixolydian
ed|cAcA B2ed|cAcA E2ed|cAcA B2ed|c2A2 A2:|
K:A Dorian
AB|cdec BcdB|ABAF GFE2|cdec BcdB|c2A2 A2:|
These inflections may be used in Shetland versions of tunes from elsewhere.
In Playford's 1651 collection there is a tune, probably Scottish, called
"Stingo", which is straightforwardly in the minor mode:
X:0
T:Stingo
G:dance song
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:3/8=108
K:GMin
G2G d2B |cA2 F2F |G2G d2B|G3 B3:|
B2B B2A/B/|c2c c2c |d2d g2g|d3 f3 |
B2B B2A/B/|c2c c>de|dc>B cA2|G3 B3|]
Thirty years later it had turned into "Lulle me beyond thee" in the
dorian/minor hexatonic scale with sharpened leading notes:
X:0
T:Lulle me beyond thee
G:song or dance
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:3/8=96
K:DMin
A2A f>ef|g>fg a3 |A2A f>ed|^c3 d3:|
f2f g>fg|a>ba g2c|f2f g>fg| a3 g3 |
a>ba g>fe|f>ed a3 |A2A f>ed|^c3 d3|]
John Hamilton gave it new words early in the 19th century, with a dorian
first half and the second half in the minor with sharpened leading note:
X:0
T:Up in the Morning Early
G:song
S:Gall and Inglis, Select Songs of Scotland
M:6/4
L:1/4
Q:3/4=92
K:GDor
D|G2A B2c|d>ef F2F |G>AG d2c/A/|G3 d2D|
G2A B2c|d>ef F2F |G>AG d2c/A/|G3 d2||
K:GMin
B|B>cB B2B|c>dc c2z |d>ed f2e |d3 f2B|
B>cB B<BB|cdf g2f/e/|d>cB A>G^F |G3 d2|]
and it turned up in Shetland a few centuries later, adapted under Norse
influence into a far more subtle tune that goes through dorian, mixolydian
and major:
X:0
T:Sister Jean
G:slow air
S:Catriona Macdonald
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:3/8=80
R:andante
K:DDor
D2E F2G|ABA G2F|E2C C2G|E3 D2C|D2E F2G|ABA A2G|A2d d2c|d3 D3:|
K:DMix
A2B c2d|efe e2c|A2B c2G|E3 C3 |A2B c2d|efe e2d|\
K:D
f2d d2c|d3 A3 |
K:DMix
A2B c2d|efe e2c|A2B c2G|E3 C2B|A2A F2D|A2A F2D|A2d d2c|d3 D3|]
The other way to shift mode in a tune is by filling in or opening gaps.
A now-unfamiliar tune for a familiar song, Burns's original choice:
X:0
T:A red red Rose
S:Scots Musical Museum volume V
M:C
L:1/8
Q:1/4=80
K:F
% lydian/major/mixolydian pentatonic
F |C>D F>F F>F f>d |cA G>F G3
A |C>D F>F F<F f>d |c<A G>A F3||
% lydian/major hexatonic
(c/d//e//)|f>g fe d>c d>f |cA GF G3
e |f>g fe d>c df |c>A G>A F3
(c/d//e//)|f>g fe d>c df/d/|cA FG G3
A |C>D F>F F>F fe/d/|c>A G>A F3|]
X:0
T:The Kilt is My Delight
G:reel
S:Logan's Collection
M:C|
L:1/8
Q:1/2=108
K:D
% major/mixolydian/dorian pentatonic, D-final CG-gap
e|A>AA>B A>Bd>f|e>de>f d>BB<e|A>AA>B A>Bd>f|ede>f d2d:|
% major/mixolydian hexatonic, D-final C-gap
e|g2 a>g f2 a>f|e>de>f d>BB<e|g2 a>g f2 a>f|ede>f d2de|
g2 a>g f2 a>f|e>de>f d>BB<e|A>AA>B A>Bd>f|e>de>f d2d|]
This alternates in each section between mixolydian/dorian/minor
pentatonic and dorian/minor hexatonic:
X:0
T:The Wee Man from Skye
C:P.M. Donald McLeod
G:march
M:2/4
L:1/16
Q:1/4=84
K:AMix
B<d|e2ed deed |Beed B2A2 |GGGB G2B2 |GBBd B2d2|
e2ed deed |Beed B2A<G|AAAB e2d<B |A4 A2 :|
B<d|e2g2 a2ef |gfed B2A2 |GGGB G2B2 |GBBd B2d2|
[1 efge a2a2 |gfed B2A<G|AAAB e2d>B |A4 A2 :|
[2 e2ed deed |Beed B2A<G|AAAB e2d>B |A4 A2 ||
B<d|e2A2 A2Bd |e<ge>d B2AB |dGG2 B<AB<G|B<dG>d B2d2|
eAA2 B<AB<d|egde B2A<G|AAAB e2d>B |A4 A2 :|
B<d|e2ed e2ef |gfeg B2A2 |GGGB G2B2 |GBBd B2d2|
[1 e2ed e2ef |gfed B2A<G|AAAB e2d>B |A4 A2 :|
[2 eAA2 B<AB<d|egde B2A<G|AAAB e2d>B |A4 A2 |]
The pipe march "The Conundrum" is more complex, progressively filling in
gaps from one section to the next. The first part omits both G and D,
fitting the mixolydian/major/lydian pentatonic scale. The second part fills
in one gap, inconspicuously adding a few Gs to make the tune major/lydian
hexatonic. The third part makes them slightly more noticeable. The last
part adds Ds as well; the tune only becomes unambiguously in the major mode
near the end.
X:0
T:The Conundrum
C:Peter Macleod
G:march
M:2/4
L:1/16
Q:1/4=84
K:AMix
A>B|c2A>c e>fc2 |A>ce>a f2e>f |a2e>f e>fc2|A>ce>c B2
A>B|c2A>c e>fc2 |A>ce>a f2e>f |a2e>f e>fc2|B2A2 A2:|
f>g|a2e>f a>ea2 |e>fa>e f2e>f |a2e>f e>fc2|A>ce>c B2
[1 f>g|a2e>f a>ea2 |e>fa>e f2e>f |a2e>f e>fc2|B2A2 A2:|
[2 A>B|c2A>c e>fc2 |A>ce>a f2e>f |a2e>f e>fc2|B2A2 A2||
e2 |A>Bc2 A>Bc<A|c<eA>B c2e2 |f>ga2 e>fc2|A>ce>c B2
e2 |A>Bc2 A>Bc<A|c<eA>B c2e2 |f>ga2 e>fc2|B2A2 A2:|
a2 |f>ea>e f2e<a |f2e<a f>ea>e|f>ga2 e>fc2|A>ce>c B2
[1 a2 |f>ea>e f2e<a |f2e<a f>ea>e|f>ga2 e>fc2|B2A2 A2:|
[2 A>B|c2d>c e>Ac2 |d>ce>A f2e>f |a2e>f e<ac2|B2A2 A2|]
This tune is hexatonic in the first and third parts, and with the seventh
in an inconspicuous descending figure in the second part. But in the fourth
part, the tune is unambiguously mixolydian heptatonic - the G natural only
occurs once, but on a primary beat. (Thanks to George Current for pointing
this example out).
X:0
T:King George V's Army
C:G.S. MacLennan
G:march
M:2/4
L:1/16
Q:1/4=80
K:Hp
ed|c2A2 A3B |cAce fedc|d2B2 B3c |defa f2ed|
c2A2 A3B |cAce fedc|d2fd c2ec|B4 A2 :|
cd|e2a2 a2gf|e2c2 c2ec|d2B2 B2cd|c2A2 A2cd|
e2a2 a2gf|e2c2 c2ec|d2fd c2ec|B4 A2 :|
ed|c2e2 a3e |ceae faec|d2f2 a3f |dfad fafd|
c2e2 a3e |ceae faec|dfad ceac|B4 A2 :|
ed|c2e2 e3d |ceea fedc|d2f2 f3e |dffa gfed|
c2e2 e3d |ceea fedc|dfad ceac|B4 A2 :|
Each part of this complex tune is hexatonic until the unobtrusive B in
the final bar puts it into the major:
X:0
T:The Braes of Auchtertyre
S:Middleton's Collection, 4th Edition
M:C
L:1/8
Q:1/4=108
K:C
E|C2 C>F E<GG>A|c>de>d c>AG<c|A/A/A A>G A2 a2 |g<c {g}f>e {e}d2c2 |
C2 C>F E<GG>A|c>de>d c>AGc |A>cG>c F>cE>c|d/c/B/A/ c<E {E}D2C ||
f|e>fg>a g>ec>g|a/g/f/e/ d>f e>dcG |A/A/A a>g a2 c'2|e<c {g}f>e {e}d2c>f|
e>fg>a g>ec>g|a/g/f/e/ d>f e>dcG |A>cG>c F>cE>c|d/c/B/A/ c<E {E}D2C |]
Probably the bext-known gap-filling tune is this, where the flattened
seventh in the last part often requires players of diatonic instruments
to cheat:
X:0
T:The Athole Highlanders
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:3/8=116
K:AMix
% major/mixolydian hexatonic, G-gap hexatonic pitch set
e3 e>cA|e>cA B>cd|e3 e>cA|B>cd c>BA|
e3 e>cA|e>cA B>cd|e<ae f>ed|c>dB A3 :|
A>ce A>ce|B>df B>df|A>ce A>ce|B>cd c>BA|
A>ce A>ce|B>df B>df|e<ae f>ed|c>dB A3 :|
a2e e>dc|a2e e>dc|a2e e>dc|B>cd c>BA|
a2e e>dc|a2e e>dc|e<ae f>ed|c>dB A3 :|
% mixolydian
c<Ac c<Ac|d<Bd d<Bd|c<Ac c<Ac|B<GB B<GB|
c<Ac c<Ac|d<Bd d<Bd|e<ae f>ed|c>dB A3 :|
This procedure, of only filling in a gap at the very end of the tune to
create a climax, is common in all kinds of Scottish music. The idea goes
back a very long way. This tune from mediaeval Germany is hexatonic in
its first half, and fills in the gap to become dorian in its second part:
X:0
T:Palestine Song
T:Nu alrest lebe ich mir werde
C:Walther von der Vogelweide, 1204
N:a bloodthirsty recruiting song for the Fourth Crusade, which
N:turned into a looting expedition like the war on Iraq - Walther
N:went on the crusade and it seems he later regretted writing it.
M:C
L:1/8
Q:1/4=80
K:DDor
A|D2 D2 F2 F2 |D2 D/E/F/E/ D2 DC |
E2 G2 A2 A/G/F |E2 (3D/C/D/ E/F/E HD2:|
A|A2 c2 c2 AG |A2 cB A3 z |
A2 cB A2 A/G/F/E/|F2 G/F/E/D/ C3 z |
D2 A2 A2 GF |EF/E/ (3D/C/D/ E/F/E HD2|]
This is a mediaeval piece in the style of a French religious song, and
perhaps composed by a Frenchman; it's one of the oldest pieces of music
known from Scotland. It's in the dorian mode, but the first three sections
are dorian/minor hexatonic, with progressively more dorian E's introduced
as the piece builds to a climax.
X:0
T:Margaret-Eric Epithalamium
G:song
S:Codex Upsaliensis C233
S:Proc Soc Antiq Scot LXXIII (1939) plate LXXXV
N:Composed for the marriage of Princess Margaret
N:of Scotland and King Eric of Norway, 31/8/1281
N:I have rebarred it - the PSAS version was notated in 4/4.
N:Warning! ABC has a strange concept of 6- and 5-plets; BarFly
N:implements this in a way that displays them twice as long as
N:they are meant to be played. As notated here, playback is
N:correct and display is wrong.
N:H means a fermata. If your ABC implementation doesn't have that
N:feature just edit the H's out.
M:3/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=108
K:GDor
GF| G2 A2 cd |c2 BA G2|A2 B2 A2 |G2 (3FGF
GF| G2 A2 cd |c2 BA G2|A2 B2 AG |F2 HG2:|
d2| c2 d2 (cB)|A2 G2 A2|c2 A2 B2 |G2 (3FGF
A2| c2 d2 c2 |B2 A2 F2|GA B2 AG |F2 HG2:|
F2| G2 A2 B2 |A2 G2 G2|A2 B2 c2 |B2 A2
A2| c2 d2 cB |A2 G2 F2|GA B2 AG |F2 HG2:|
c2| c2 de f2 |e2 d2 c2|d2 e2 (fe)|d2 (3cBA
A2| c2 c2 d2 |d2 G2 F2|GA B2 AG |F2 HG2:|
g2| e2 f2 (gf)|e2 d2 e2|f2 e2 d2 |d2 c2
c2| d2 e2 f2 |e2 d2 e2|c2 d2 (cB)|A2 HG2:|
c2| c2 de f2 |ed c2 e2|f2 d2 e2 |dc d2
c2| c2 de f2 |ed c2 e2|f2 d2 e2 |dc Hd2:|
c2| e2 (3def ed |e2 c2 d2|dc d2 e2 |c2 A2
c2| e2 (3def ed |e2 c2 d2|c2 d2 (cB)|A2 HG2:|
d2|(6:2:defedc c2 c2 |cB AG A2|c2 d2 GF |G2 (3ABA
A2| c2 (5:2:defed c2 |cB AG F2|GA B2 AG |F2 HG2:|
d2| d2 (5:2:defed c2 |cB AG A2|c2 d2 GF |G2 (3ABA
A2| c2 (5:2:defed c2 |cB AG F2|GA B2 AG |F2 HG2:|
GF| G2 A2 cd |c2 BA G2|A2 B2 A2 |G2 (3FGF
GF| G2 A2 cd |c2 BA G2|A2 B2 AG |F2 HG2:|
The same idea is used in this imitation folk song from 600 years later and
the other end of Europe, which is dorian/minor hexatonic until near the end:
X:0
T:Legend
C:Tchaikovsky
N:words are a Russian translation of an American antisemitic fakelore ballad
M:2/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=100
K:FMin
f2 fe|A3 B|c2 c2|F2 zc|f2 e2|A3 B|c2 c2|F4 |
F2 FG|A3 G|F2 E2|F4 |F2 FG|A3 G|F2 E2|F2 zc|
f2 e2|A3 B|c2 c2|F2 zc|f2 e2|A3 B|c2 c2|F4 |
zF FG|A3 G|F2 E2|F4 |F2 FG|A3 G|F2 E2|F4 |
f2 fe|A3 B|c2 c2|F2 zc|f3 e|A3 B|c2 c2|F4 |
F2 FG|A3 G|F2 E2|F4- |FF FG|A3 G|F2 E2|F4 |
G2 GG|A3 A|B3 B|c3 c|e2 d2|c2 F2|A3 G|F4 |
G2 GG|A3 A|B3 B|c3 c|e2 d2|c2 F2|A2 G2|F4 |]
All the examples so far are of gradual and subtle shifts, moving between
adjacent points in the mode diagram. Shifts follow the lines marked in
the Big Picture (that is, there are no shifts between gapped scales with
the same number of gaps; the only moves that occur are the opening and
filling of gaps, or changes of one step at a time in seven-note modes).
This is quite unlike the usual procedure in art music, where changes of
mode tend to be dramatic and unmistakable, usually between major and minor.
There are some examples like that in folk music, but they usually feel like
conscious exercises in weirdness. There is nothing subtle about this:
X:0
T:The Flowres of the Forrest
S:Skene MS via Dauney
G:lament, arranged for lute
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=72
K:D
[d2D2] d2 efab | afed B2A2 |\
[d2D2] d2 efab | afed [d4A4D4] :|
AB =c2 Bc [d2D2]|[A2D2] fe d/B/A3 |\
[A2D2] Bd b2 af |[e3A,3] d/e/ [d4A4D4] |]
That startling shift is from the lydian/major/mixolydian pentatonic mode
direct to the mixolydian; the gap at the fourth (G) is not filled in first,
as a move through the major/mixolydian hexatonic mode would require. The
tune is from a manuscript of lute music predating the general use of the
fiddle, and from the Borders, where the bagpipe had a long history. It
may even be as old as the event it is thought to commemorate, the Battle
of Flodden in 1513; perhaps it records an old and local kind of tonality.
The basic melody has a nine-note range from A to b, suggesting a chanter
with either one extra note above a one-octave A dorian scale, or two above
a G mixolydian scale.
This tune, noted down in the Borders around 1800, shifts in a similarly
emphatic way from minor to major, and more subtly back again:
X:0
T:Young Hynd Horn
G:song
S:C.K. Sharpe/Lady John Scott, MS.843
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=100
K:GMin
GA |B2BA G2GA|B2c2 d2||\
dd |e2dd c2cc|d2^f2 g2||
g^f|g2GG G2GA|B2cB A2||\
GF |B2BB c2c2|dcBA G2|]
This tune (originally for the harp, but best known in a slightly
modified version for the whistle) is dorian/minor/phrygian pentatonic
till near the end, where a grinding unexpected F natural momentarily
throws it into the phrygian mode:
X:0
T:Da mihi Manum
G:harp tune
C:Rory Dall (Scotland, 17th century)
N:not the Irish harper of the same name 100 years
N:previously, despite what you read in some books
S:Dan Wright, Aria di Camera c.1726
N:arrangement for the transverse flute
M:6/4
L:1/4
Q:1/4=120
K:EMin
D|EGG G2E |EGG G2E |EGG GAB |Bed B2A/G/|
AAe BBd |A>BA/G/ E2D |EGG g2D |EGG g2D |
EGG gab |d>ba/b/ g2D |EGG GAB |Bed B2A |
AAe BBd |ABd e2d/B/|dde g2e/d/|eeg a2g/e/|
ggd/e/ ggd/e/|gga b3 |bbb b2a/g/|a/g/a/b/a/b/ a2g |
eeg/e/ dde/d/|BBd/B/ A2G |GGB/d/ =f2e/d/|eeg e2d/B/|\
ddg BBd |A>BA/G/ E2D |]
Breathnach points out that this high F natural is common in Irish
music, where it's generally reached by a slide from below. Whistle
players often play that tune with one of those Irish-style slides;
obviously Rory Dall's harp can't have done that, and applying the
trick to this tune must be a folk-revival idea of very recent times.
Here is the same sort of gap-filling in a tune from Bolivia. The
first two sections are lydian/major/mixolydian pentatonic, then the
last one goes straight into major:
X:0
T:Guadalquivir
Z:Fernando Formigo
Z:Jack Campin, http://www.campin.me.uk/
S:a PDF book "Andean Melodies" off the web
M:2/4
L:1/16
Q:1/4=60
K:G
GB2d eg2e|d2B2 G4|AB2A AB2A|G2B2 d4 |
GB2d eg2e|d2B2 G4|AB2A AB2A|G2G2 G4||
d2g2 d2g2|B3g d4|B2d2 B2d2|g3d B4 |
G2B2 G2B2|d3B G4|GB2d ed2B|G2G2 G4||
ee2e e3c |ec2e g4|dd2d d3B |dB2d g4 |
cc2c c3A |cA2c f4|dd2d de2d|[1 dGAB cBcd:|\
[2 dd2d dcBA |G2G2 G4|]
This Macedonian dance does the opposite to the usual Scottish practice,
by opening a gap in the second part to make this section dorian/minor
hexatonic (in addition, the seventh only occurs as a passing note; the
section is effectively pentatonic). This gives a feeling of increased
lightness that goes along with the higher tessitura:
X:0
T:Stojane More
S:Merima Kljuco, Eastern European Folk Tunes for Accordion, 2009
G:Macedonian dance
M:7/8
L:1/8
Q:3/8=120
K:BDor
AGA BF dc|B2A GABF|AGA BFGA|BcA B2 BF |
AGA BF dc|B2A GABc|dec d2cB|B2F B4 :|
f3 f2-fe|f2e d2de|f3 f2e2|d2c B2 B/c/d/e/ |
f2e e2 dc|e3 A2Bc|d2c B2BF|B3- B2 [1 B/c/d/e/:|\
[2 z2 |]
A common idea in art music is to shift between major and minor
keys using the same pitch set ("relative" major and minor keys,
like C major and A minor). This is an example from Scottish
music, mostly in A major but moving into F# minor at the start
of the second part:
X:0
T:The Laird o' Thrums
C:J. Scott Skinner
M:C
L:1/8
Q:1/4=110
K:A
g|(3 agf (3 efg ({g}a2) (e>d) | (c<e) (A>a) (c>B) (B>g) |
(3.a.g.f (3.e.f.g ({g}a2) (e>c) | (d>f) (B>e) ({cd}c>A) (A>g) |
(3.a.g.f (3.e.f.g ({g}a2) (e>d) | (c<e) (A>a) ({cd}c>B) (B>g) |
(3.a.g.f (3.g.f.e (3.f.e.^d (e>c) | (d<f) (B>e) ({cd}c<)A A ||
c| f2 (c>f) (A>f) (c>f) |(3.c.f.g (3.a.g.f (3.c'.f.g (3.a.g.f|
({^d}e2) (B>e) (G>e) (B>e) |(3.B.e.f (3.g.f.e (3.b.e.f (3.g.f.e|
{g}a2 (e>a) (c>e) (A>g) |(3.a.g.f (3.g.f.e (3.f.e.d (3.e.d.c|
(3.d.e.f (3.B.c.d (3.c.d.e (3.A.B.c|(3.d.e.f (3.e.f.g ({g}a2-) a |]
This pipe tune has one part centred on D and the other three on A:
X:0
T:Liberton Polka
S:simplified version played in sessions around Edinburgh
M:2/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=96
K:D
AB/>A/ GA|dA f2|fe/>f/ ge|dc/>e/ fa |
AB/>A/ GA|dA f2|fe/>f/ gc|ed d2:|
K:AMix
ef/>e/ ce|ac e2|ef/>e/ dB|fe e2 |
ef/>e/ ce|ac e2|ef/>e/ dB|BA A2:|
Ac ce|ef/>e/ c2|ef/>e/ dB|Ac c2 |
Ac ce|ef/>e/ c2|ef/>e/ dB|BA A2:|
af fa|ef/>e/ c2|ef/>e/ dB|Ac c2 |
af fa|ef/>e/ c2|ef/>e/ dB|BA A2:|
Shifting tonal centre also works with other modes and with gapped pitch
sets, like this pentatonic song from the North-East of Scotland:
X:0
T:Rhynie
S:101 Scottish Songs
M:C
L:1/8
Q:1/4=140
K:C
c2|e3d c2G2|A2c2 A2G2|e3 d c2G2|Ac3 d3
c|e3d c2c2|c2c2 A2G2|c3 G G2G2|E2G2 A4||
G3C C2C2|E2D2 EA3 |G2C2 C2C2|E2G2 c2|]
The Skye Boat Song is a confusing example. The tune is pentatonic, but
the tonal centre of the chorus is not the final note: it's really centred
on G, and some singers end it that way. But the middle section goes into
the relative minor with no ambiguity at all. Its origins are uncertain,
and there seems to be no verifiable Scottish source for it before it was
published in England in 1884, but it is at least Scottish by adoption.
X:0
T:Skye Boat Song
G:rowing song or lullaby
S:Loesberg, Traditional Folksongs and Ballads of Scotland
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:3/8=54
K:G
D>ED G2 G/G/|A>BA d3 |
B>AB E2 E |D3- D3 |
D>ED G2 G |A>BA d3 |
B>AB E2 E |D3- D3-|D3 z3||
K:EMin
B>GB B3|AEA A3|GEG G2G|E3 -E3 |
B>GB B3|AEA A3|G>EG G2G|E3- E3||
K:G
D>ED G2 G/G/|A>BA d3 |
B>AB E2 E |D3- D3 |
D>ED G2 G |A>BA d3 |
B>AB E2 E |D3- D3-|D3 z3||
Sometimes the process of evolution irons out variation in gapping within
a tune. This pipe march has three parts in major/mixolydian hexatonic,
but the second part adds an inconspicuous mixolydian seventh:
X:0
T:Farewell to the Creeks
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:3/8=96
K:AMix
a|e2c c>Bc|d>ef e2d |c2e A>ce|e>dc B2
a|e2c c>Bc|d>ef e2d |c2e e>dc|B3 A2:|
|:f|e>ce f<ag|f>df e>cA|c2c c<ec|d>cd B2
f|e>ce f<ag|f>df e>cA|c2e e>dc|B3 A2:|
|:a|c3 d2f |c<ec c>BA|d2f c2e |e>dc B2
a|c3 d2f |c<ec c>BA|c2e e>dc|B3 A2:|
|:e|a2e f2a |e2f e>cA|d2f c2e |e>dc B2
e|a2e f2a |e2f e>cA|c2e e>dc|B3 A2:|
As turned into a song by Hamish Henderson, he seems to have found it
easier for the singer to replace that section entirely with a repeat
of the third section, so the whole tune stays in the same hexatonic
pitch set:
X:0
T:The Highland Division's Farewell to Sicily
C:Hamish Henderson
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:3/8=76
K:AMix % major/mixolydian hexatonic
a|e>cc c>Bc|d>ef e2d |c>de A>ce|ed>c B2
a|ecc cBc |d>ef e2d |c>de e>dc|B3 A2||
A|c3 d2f |e2c c/B/A2|d2f c2e |e>dc B2
A|c3 d2f |e2c c>BA |c>de e>dc|B3 A2||
z|c3 d2f |e2c c/B/A2|d2f c2e |e>dc B2
A|c3 d2f |e2c c>BA |c>de e>dc|B3 A2||
e|a2e f2a |e2f ecA |d2f c2e |edc B2
e|a2e f2a |e2f ecA |c>de edc |B3 A2|]
=============================================================================
== (c) Jack Campin http://www.campin.me.uk/ June 2016 ==
== 11 Third Street, Newtongrange, Midlothian EH22 4PU, Scotland ==
== ==
== these pages: http://tinyurl.com/scottishmodes ==
=============================================================================