Modal harmony in the classical style

[luc_]

Dear Pete, first to say congratulations and thanks for such a great site. The info here is just amazing.
I'm a composer from Barcelona, Spain. That uses a set up of Apple G5 - Logic Pro7 - VSL - Sibelius
I try to make all my works (specially orchestral) as real as possible, sometimes I succed, sometimes I don't. Now, what I really wanted to talk about was the use of modal hamrony in orchestral music. I have read your articles on modal harmony and interchange and I found them very interesting and helpfull. But waht I'm trying to figure out is how composers like Vaughan Williams (love him!) use modal harmony on his works, partically in The London Symphony. I know he bases his ideas a lot on traditional old folk roots (lots of parallels) and also the use of orchestration helps to bring his ideas even more intrincating. So my questions are: Do you have any suggestion on how to modulate in the modal language that he uses? Any way to plan modulations and chord substitution between modes without sounding "jazzy"? What's your opinio on this approach to harmony? Also use a lot by film composers like Harry Gregson Williams, John Williams (Jezz I should change my surname to Williams too!) and also check a guy call Joseph Loduca (Hercules, Xena, etc.) great stuff... Anyway Sorry about the length but I just have so much to say!!

Thanks in advance and keep the great work going

luc

 

[Linky Lee]

sometimes the best way to learn in to analyse.

I've just finished my music a-level and spent quite a lot of time analysing and so forth lots of different works.

Things like Williams' ET suite to Wagner's Tristan und Isolde.

I recommend you pick up the New Anthology of Music (NAM for short) It features full scores of music categorised into different sections like: 'music for the large ensemble' and 'popular music and film'. It is also possible to buy a CD that has a recording of every piece.
It covers medieval music, Beethoven and everything you could possible think of.

If you were to get that and look at music in the style you want to compose you will see the use within a context and hopefully be able to then apply that to your works.

I find that the Lydian mode? (has the #4) is extensively used, maybe that would be a good starting point. See the Titanic theme tune for some good use.

 

[Pete Thomas]

I agree, if you can get scores of the music you are into and analyse them, that is the best way to learn. I do like the modal interchange approach as more often than not makes sense of what appears otherwise to have no basis in harmony. I also do like what may be totally random modulations, but a lot of that is completely up to what your ear tells you, rather than being able to analyse or teach it.

It is a good exercise to work with modes and look for modal eqivalents to conventional cadences. E.g in a Dorian mode, very often a "perfect" cadence will be V - I or VII to I ( Am - Dm, or C - Dm). When I used to teach I would get students to experiment with chords in different modes to find out for themselves the emotional effects of different chord changes, and this worked very well as a learning method.

 

[luc_]

Well thanks guys, some good tips there. I've started to analize some Williams scores, but I'm trying to shortcut a bit to a more basic harmonic options plan. Something I researched and found quite interesting is chord substitution using the subdominant minor. Using chords taken from the harmonized melodic minor scale build in the 4th degree. Also is that "americana" sound a la Coppeland, kind of western modal feel. Any suggestions? X Luc

 

[Pete Thomas]

IVm is good, you can experiment with IVm7, IVm6, IVm maj7. If you are in C and use a G as bass note to Fm you get a G11 b9, nice chord.

 

[luc_]

Great sounding chord Pete. My fav is got to be a FM7b5 (or any other key). I love this chord it has like a misterious yet nostalgic feel. Hard to preceed by any other chord, it kind of makes me want to stay there forever... crazy thing harmony hey!
Thanks again.

Luc