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\clef treble \time 8/4
c4^\markup { Modern C Phrygian mode } des es f g aes bes c
} }
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 modern conception of the Phrygian mode as a diatonic scale, based on the latter.
In Greek music theory, the harmonia given this name was based on a tonos, in turn based on a scale or octave species built from a tetrachord which, in its diatonic genus, consisted of a series of rising intervals of a major second, followed by a semitone, followed by a whole tone.
\clef treble \time 4/4
e4^\markup { Greek Phrygian tonos (diatonic genus) on E } fis g a b cis d e
} } In the chromatic genus, this is a minor third followed by two semitones.
\clef treble \time 4/4
e4^\markup { Greek Phrygian tonos (chromatic genus) on E } fisis gis a c cisis dis e
} } In the enharmonic genus, it is a major third and two .
\relative c' {
\clef treble \time 4/4
e4^\markup { Greek Phrygian tonos (enharmonic genus) on E } gis gisih a b dis disih e
} }
A diatonic-genus octave species built upon D is roughly equivalent to playing all the white notes on a piano keyboard from D to D:
\clef treble \time 4/4
d4 e f g a b c d
} }
This scale, combined with a set of characteristic melodic behaviours and associated ethos, constituted the harmonia which was given the ethnic name "Phrygian", after the "unbounded, ecstatic peoples of the wild, mountainous regions of the Anatolian highlands". This ethnic name was also confusingly applied by theorists such as Cleonides to one of thirteen chromatic transposition levels, regardless of the intervallic makeup of the scale.
Since the Renaissance, music theorists have called this same sequence (on a diatonic scale) the "Dorian" mode, due to a mistake interpreting Greek (it is different from the Greek mode called "Dorian").
\clef treble \time 5/4
e4 f g a b
\time 4/4
\parenthesize b c d e
} }
The ambitus of this mode extended one tone lower, to D. The sixth degree, C, which is the tenor of the corresponding third psalm tone, was regarded by most theorists as the most important note after the final, though the fifteenth-century theorist Johannes Tinctoris implied that the fourth degree, A, could be so regarded instead.
Placing the two tetrachords together, and the single tone at bottom of the scale produces the Hypophrygian mode (below Phrygian):
\clef treble \time 1/4
g4
\time 4/4
a b c d \parenthesize d e f g
} }
\clef treble \time 7/4
e4^\markup { Modern E Phrygian mode } f g a b c d e2
} }
The following is the Phrygian mode starting on E, or E Phrygian, with corresponding tonality scale degrees illustrating how the modern major mode and natural minor mode can be altered to produce the Phrygian mode:
| + E Phrygian | E |
| 1 | |
| 1 |
Therefore, the Phrygian mode consists of: root, minor second, minor third, perfect fourth, perfect fifth, minor sixth, minor seventh, and octave. Alternatively, it can be written as the pattern
| + E Phrygian dominant | E |
| 1 | |
| 1 |
The Phrygian dominant is also known as the Spanish gypsy scale, because it resembles the scales found in flamenco and also the Berbers rhythms; it is the fifth mode of the harmonic minor scale. Flamenco music uses the Phrygian scale together with a modified scale from the Arab Arabic maqam (like the Phrygian dominant but with a major sixth scale degree), and a bimodal configuration using both major and minor second and third scale degrees.
| C♯ major | E♯ F♯ G♯ A♯ B♯ C♯ D♯ |
| F♯ major | A♯ B C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯ G♯ |
| B major | D♯ E F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ |
| E major | G♯ A B C♯ D♯ E F♯ |
| A major | C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A B |
| D major | F♯ G A B C♯ D E |
| G major | B C D E F♯ G A |
| C major | E F G A B C D |
| F major | A B♭ C D E F G |
| B♭ major | D E♭ F G A B♭ C |
| E♭ major | G A♭ B♭ C D E♭ F |
| A♭ major | C D♭ E♭ F G A♭ B♭ |
| D♭ major | F G♭ A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ |
| G♭ major | B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ |
| C♭ major | E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ |
Footnotes
Braatz, Thomas, and Aryeh Oron. April 2006. " Chorale Melodies used in Bach's Vocal Works Es woll (or wolle/wollt) uns Gott genädig sein". (accessed 24 October 2009)
Karstädt, G. (ed.). 1985. Thematisch-systematisches Verzeichnis der musikalischen Werke von Dietrich Buxtehude: Buxtehude-Werke-Verzeichnis, second edition. Wiesbaden. French online adaptation, " Dietrich Buxtehude, (c.1637–1707) Catalogue des oeuvres BuxWV: Oeuvres instrumentales: Musique pour orgue, BuxWV 136–225". Université du Québec website (Accessed 17 May 2011).
Adams, John. 2010. "Phrygian Gates and China Gates". John Adams official web site. Accessed 7 August 2019.
Pelletier-Bacquaert, Bruno. n.d. "Various Thoughts: Sus Chords", accessed December 10, 2009.
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