Modal Harmony—Western and Indian

Extract

A few months ago I held that modal harmony—chords and progressions distinct from those of diatonic harmony—consisted only of a few idioms beloved by nationalist composers, who spiced diatonic progression by making scales modal; as in the practice of musica ficta the polyphonists eased modal progression by making the modes scalar. Last September, when Dr. Andrews came to Durham to examine, I somewhat rudely pooh-poohed his appreciation of modal writing in Palestrina, declaring that, though Palestrina observed the authentic or plagal range of a vocal part, it was churchly reverence, melodic and rhythmic restraint rather than any harmonic procedure, that distinguished him from such a composer as Byrd. Strip Byrd of his “changing notes,” his modulations, his bold accents and basses, and what difference is there between Palestrina in the Dorian mode and Byrd in D minor? Dr. Andrews was gentle in his reproof, which amounted to “Look again.” Let any material in this paper that results from my looking again express my apology and thanks.