https://www.ethanhein.com/wp/2024/joy-to-the-modes/
Ethan Hein has used “Joy to the World” as a way
to demonstrate different modes running from Lydian to Locrian. He points out
he’s not the first
person to have done this
but he has done it better. I agree.
In his concluding paragraph Ethan wrote the following, “Does this have any musical value beyond music theory teaching?“ In a way the question to ask back is, “Does it have to?” Bit O remember when I was reading Elaine Sisman’s book on Haydn and variation technique I got to thinking about how frequently in 18th century variation forms the major key theme showed up in parallel minor for at least one of the variations. Minor key sets of variations have also featured parallel major variations, too, and Hein’s presentation of “Joy to the World” in every diatonic mode reveals just how indestructible the tune is.
My take-away as a composer and musician is that subjecting your melody to the harshest and most abrupt modal mutations you can think of helps you figure out whether you have a solid melody or not. If your melodic contour still sounds good in spite of being run through all the modal mutational paces that’s a good sign that you have a versatile tune with a memorable contour. If you shift into another mode and you find the melody begins to swim a bit then it may be best as a constituent part of some musical thing with other ideas.
I’ll give you an example off the top of my head, you can take
the first two strains of Scott Joplin’s “The Entertainer” and play them in C
minor and I submit (being the highly biased Scott Joplin fan that I am) that
the music will still sound great.
