Re: Lern Steiger and my mode article

[Joshua Horowitz <horowitz...>]

I wanted to qualify that:

5) The mood, ethos, or gusto of the mode as a defining criterium is today
largely outdated and the most difficult to define, so it is problematic to
include, and I did that so as not to forget the mode's origin regardless how
it has devleoped.

Probably the oldest layer of definition of a mode was in fact its mood and
the time of day it was to be used. The long history of modes are to be found
in prayers and, in the oldest systems of modality we have (i.e. the Raga
system) the mode is defined by mood and by the time of day when it is
supposed to be played.

You know, Irwin I think I'm guilty of misquoting and misspelling in my last
postings. I think it was Avenary who first pointed out the overlap of
motives in the shtayger. Also Eve Sicular kindly pointed out off-line that I
misspelled Bona fide. Mea Culpa and thank you Eve, Josh

>From: "I. Oppenheim" <i(dot)oppenheim (at) xs4all(dot)nl>
>To: World music from a Jewish slant <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
>Subject: Re: Lern Steiger and my mode article
>Date: Mon, Jan 28, 2002, 3:14 PM
>

>> I suggest a set of criteriae which include:
>>
>> 1) scalar form of the tone group 2) typical incipts (beginnings) and
>> cadences 3) common Motivic Scheme or patterns (typical contours) 4)
>> ³Assigned² tones (tones which are typically relegated to specific
>> motives within the piece) 5) The mood, ethos, or gusto of the mode 6)
>> Sub-mode modulation groups
>>
>> Of the above, I think that number 6 is the one most often overlooked and
>> very specific to each shtayger or mode, kind of a telltale sign as to
>> what the mode is.
>
> Dear Josh,
>
> Thank you for your thorough and illuminating reply!
>
> Regarding criterion 5: Hanoch Avenary doubted if this concept,
> adopted from the theory of maqamat, is at all applicable
> to the steigers of Jewish music.
>
> Irwin Oppenheim
>
> ---------------------- jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org 
> ---------------------+
>