Honey Don't

How come you say you will when you won't - I
Say you do, baby when you don't - bVI
Let me know honey, how you feel - I
Tell the truth now, is love real - bVI
So aw, aw honey don't - V

from "Honey Don't" by Carl Perkins, 1956

The mixture chord in this rockabilly classic occurs in the main verse, which I have conveniently copied the lyrics to above! The song is in E major and the mixture chord is a flat VI chord (C natural). The I-bVI-I-V chord progression was very common in early rock n' roll. The flat VI chord was actually dubbed the Buddy Holly chord by Beatles analyst Alan Pollack because of it's use in Holly's song "Peggy Sue". Artists in the 50's started to use this bVI chord to get away from the usual I-IV-V7 chord progression, the three chord trick, used in nearly all early rock n' roll songs.

Most of Carl Perkins songs follow the 12-bar blues format so when he first introduced the flat VI chord in "Honey Don't" his band was uh not really receptive of the chord. They wanted to follow the usual format; they thought that the chord was too unusual and the public would not take it well. In the end though Perkins convinced his band to go along with the progression. I really can't say what people during the 50's thought about this chord progression but I can make an educated guess. Listeners may have been apprehensive at the time because of the odd chord choice but at the same time found the different chord structure to be a refreshing twist from the usual progressions used in the typical song. Perkins bVI chord was obviously a good choice because it was used a year later by Buddy Holly and other artists.

Bernstein's use of mode mixture

Leonard Bernstein wrote a really great piece for clarinet and piano, his Sonata for Clarinet and Piano. I believe it was written in 1941-42, and it uses a number of mode mixtures that require attention from the performer.

I apologize for a lack of measure numbers, but three bars after letter K of the first movement, the piano begins arpeggiating an Eb diminished chord which would be a iiio7 in the piece (because it is originally in C major). The next bar, the chord is C Eb G, which is a i chord, a prime example of mode mixture.

At this point in the piece Bernstein is actually beginning to develop some previous thematic material from the Exposition of the piece. Naturally, I would venture to call this the beginning of the Development section of the first movement of this sonata. We all know that the development section in Sonata form is a place to spin off in tangents, intertwine melodies, and mix modes! The performer really needs to be aware of this fact, and really emphasize the different notes (b3, and the Ra in the previous iii07 measure). As a performer it is essential also to convey the similarities of this material, but also make sure to essentially lean on the notes that are different (b3, b6, b7).

As a listener, the existence of mode mixture especially in this development section tends to emphasize the main thematic material in a piece. If a composer presents something early on, and this comes up later as the composer plays around with it a little more, we know that it is the most important theme, material, etc. of the piece. Mode mixture can play a crucial role in emphasizing the important material by (if applied to this material) signifying both similarities and also a desire to develop the music.

I know you waited until grad school, but...

The Valkyries, of Norse mythology in origin, are minor female deities who served Odin. Their purpose was to choose the most heroic of those who died in battle and to carry them off to help fight aside Odin. According to the Porse Edda, “Odin sends the valkyries to every battle. They allot death to men and govern victory.”[1] Wilhelm Richard Wagner takes use of this mythological infamy in his massive work, Der Ring des Nibelungen. In the third part of his mammoth cycle, Die Walküre, Wagner introduces the valkyries in his prelude “Ride of the Valkyries.” This work features a dotted eighth, sixteenth, eighth rhythm that is repeated again and again by the low brass, creating a foreboding chant of death for which the valkyries are known. The beginning of the piece the rhythm is repeated as a b minor arpeggio and continues until measure 35 where the culmination of brass begins with a B major arpeggio. For the performers this is a huge change of pace – the trumpets accentuate the major chord and hold it for some time, the longest duration the brass has played thus far. The tuba then enters with the trombones and reverts back to the valkyries’ rattle o’ death. For an audience member this sound is vastly different, changing from evil to brilliant, defeat to victory. Wagner’s use of mixture chords change the key from minor to major and create an ever-changing emotions that flare from bad to good and back again, but wait…victory is prevalent! It’s this feeling of “I don’t know what to expect from these creatures” that draws the audience, and performers, into the storyline and keeps them captivated to find out more as the music drama unfolds.

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[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valkyrie

Die Nacht by Richard Strauss

For starters, here's a performance by Leontyne Price: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZFqwjjiZ1Y

Text:
Aus dem Walde tritt die Nacht,
Aus den Bäumen schleicht sie leise,
Schaut sich um in weitem Kreise,
Nun gib acht.
Alle Lichter dieser Welt,
Alle Blumen, alle Farben löscht sie aus
Und stiehlt die Garben weg vom Feld.
Alles nimmt sie, was nur hold,
Nimmt das Silber weg des Stroms,
Nimmt vom Kupferdach des Domes
Weg das Gold.
Ausgeplündert steht der Strauch,
Rücke näher, Seel an Seele;
O die Nacht, mir bangt, sie stehle
Dich mir auch.

I'm going to focus on the last four lines, which begin "Ausgeplündert steht der Strauch..."

The translation for this part is:
The spray of flowers stands plundered,
Draw closer, soul to soul;
Oh, I am afraid the night will steal
You, too, from me. [taken from the top of my copy of this piece from the library]

The chords here are (D major):
i - bIII43 - bVI - V43/IV - iv - viio7/V ? - vi64 - IV42 - bVII6 - ii - V7542 --> 8753 - bVI6 - I (bVI6 -I - bVI6 - I ...)

So, this piece is mostly in D major, and until these lines the text describes the things that Night steals from the earth - light, colors, etc. Now, in this last section, the poet moves to express his anxiety over losing his girl to the night, as well. Hence, Strauss colors the tone of this part with tons of mixture chords - we start in minor i, not very convincing tonic given all the other D major stuff before this - and we don't come anywhere near tonic again until the end, basically.

By using these borrowed chords to cloud the quality of tonic, Strauss gives the performer a backdrop of uncertainty and unresolvedness over which to express the text. Not surprisingly, this is the climax of the piece - and it seems strange that even at the end, although we get a series of major I chords, they are "resolved" from bVI6 - the pleading 'le-sol' in the bass gives both listener and performer a sense that the issue is not yet resolved, that a question hangs unanswered in the air - and indeed, "Will the Night steal you away from me too?" is what we are wondering.

Appropiate, I think, for Valentine's day. =)

Mendelssohn's Modal Mixture

Mendelssohn utilizes modal mixture chords in his E minor Violin Concerto. While transitioning back to the original motif of the third movement for the solo violin, he uses a prolonged progression of mixture chords. The transition starts at letter V or measure 708 and continues until it reaches the original theme at letter W or measure 728. During this transition the first mixture chord is in measure 711 and is a flat III chord followed in the same bar by a minor i chord. The harmony does not return to major I until the restatement of the theme. When listening to this transition, the violin melody is all sixteenth notes starting in the original key and dabbling in keys like E minor and D major to create tension and anticipation for the climax of the piece. Beneath the violin solo, the orchestra/piano is playing a part of the B section of the piece and truncates it as the chords change until there are only three notes of that melody. The truncating of the melody paired with the movement of the harmony back to the tonic area bring an excitement to the piece, signifying that the climax is about to begin. 

Romantic Era and mode mixture

During the Romantic Era, composers used chromatic alterations to intensify a feeling in a work. This was because during the era, emotion was very important in a work, whether it was vocal or instrumental. An example of a work that used this concept is Franz Schubert's "Du Bist die Ruh." It is a romantic song in which the singer express feelings for their love. Schubert uses many chromatic tones throughout, as well as modal mixture chords. An example of expressive mode mixture chords are seen in m.54-57 (I bVI6 bIII bVI). These alterations are used to reflect the meaning of the text "dies angenzelt von deinem glanz allein erhellt", meaning "the tabernacle of my eyes by your radiance alone is illuminated oh fill it completely!" The mode mixture chords create a dramatic change in the harmony that pushes towards the climax in m. 60. The mood for both the singer and the listener is one of intense emotional build-up that is released finally in m.60. The harmonic change also creates a surprise for the listener, as well as a change of moods, because instead of the expected I5-6 heard in the beginning of the work in m.8-9, Schubert introduces the b3 and b6 to build to the climax and create the emotional build-up necessary. On the word "vision", there is a release to the tonic, which gives the singer and listener a feeling of enlightenment and resolution.

Mode Mixture in Debussy’s “Beau Soir”

Today, I have decided to analyze Debussy’s usage of mode mixture in the song “Beau soir,” which translates to “Beautiful Evening.” It is one of Debussy’s earlier songs, composed around 1883. Indeed, Debussy relies on mode mixture in this piece to help convey his colorful description of the text.

Roman Numeral Analysis: The tonic key of the piece is E Major, but m. 20-27 is in the key of F-sharp minor (ii).

m. 20-23: ii: i, IV7, i, IV7

Past this point, the analysis gets complicated for me to analyze with absolute certainty, but I’ll give it my best shot.

m. 24-27:ii: iihalfdiminished7, VII43, iihalfdiminished7, VII7 (could be form of mode mixture, these are odd chords to alternate between)

Text: m. 20-27:

Un conseil de goûter le charme d’être au monde

Cependant qu’on ext jeune et que le soir est beau

Translation:

A counsel to relish the charm of being in this world

While one is young and while the evening is beautiful

The song “Beau soir” is about the beautiful setting of the sun. However, there is a hint of sadness in the song as well, as the beauty of the evening sun will eventually fade. Then, we will be left in the darkness of the night. The beginning of m. 20 in the key of F-sharp minor and alternating between i and IV7 (m. 20-23), a mode mixture harmony borrowed from the parallel key of F-sharp Major (mostly, with the exception of the A natural, which is scale degree 3 in F-sharp minor) creates a bittersweet feeling: The minor i creates the sadness of knowing the evening sun will eventually fade, while the IV7 embraces the warmth and beauty of the sun. Then, passion and desire for the sun’s beauty increases starting m. 24. Debussy marks animato poco a poco e crescendo: The iihalfdiminished7 (m. 24, 26, ii usually fulldiminishedii(7) in minor key), and VII43(m. 25) function to increase build up to the climax chord, VII7 (m. 27). The strongest climax of the piece naturally falls on “beau,” or “beauty,” on m. 26-27 to emphasize that word, which is the most powerful and colorful word used to describe the sun. The animato poco a poco e crescendo (m. 24) adds to the feeling of the brevity of the sun’s beauty before it must go and set past the sea. The duplet against triplet patterns in the piano throughout m. 20-27 also give the listener a sense that the piece is going into more motion, alluding to the inevitable climax (m. 27).

Debussy clearly shows the performers what he wants through his markings such as with the aforementioned animato poco a poco e crescendo. m. 27 is the only time forte is written in the entire song for both the voice and piano. The rest of the piece is either pianissimo or piano. Therefore, the climax must be special, and the performers must passionately embrace the bittersweetness and brief climax (m. 27) of m. 20-27, which can be done so by following Debussy’s markings, especially the animato poco a poco e crescendo (m. 24), and also by stressing the first beat of m. 27, particularly the melodic octave D naturals in the piano. I don’t think that tempo rubato is necessary; the climax is special enough the way Debussy wrote. The mode mixture of m. 20-23 proves essential in starting the bittersweet mood and longing for the sun and driving this section into motion. m. 20-27 is pleasant for listeners for the same reasons that it is for the performers. Due to the climax’s brevity and build up through use of mode mixture, m. 20-27 creates absolute magic for the audience and performers alike.

Why "Du bist die Ruh" is so romantic

Schubert's "Du bist die Ruh" is one of my favorite songs; beautiful lyrics, pretty piano part, and wonderful lines that seem simple enough but are actually very difficult to sing well. The opening 7 measures defies the stereotypical Schubert piano line with its light texture, both hands in the treble clef, and pianissimo marking. Schubert seems to be setting the scenery for the first line of poetry "You are rest, the mild peace" to the progression I, vi6, I6, I. The trick for the singer here is to have a whisper-like quality to their presentation- making sure to articulate every word, while maintaining a legato line and consistency of tone. The next 4 measures have almost identical chords with new text "You are longing, and what stills it." The difference is that this "longing" identified in the text is also in the music by prolonging the I6 harmony and moving on to a minor i in the next measure. Schubert fills this line with conflicting emotions to reflect the poetry "I consecrate you, full of pleasure and pain" by using the minor i, dominant, and secondary dominant functions. He resolves the poet's ambivalence in the next phrase though by placing a i, V, IV6, I64, V, I progression under "As a dwelling here, my eyes and heart." It's almost as if Schubert is trying to make the first "my eyes and heart" seem sacred after the i-V the listener has just heard by using the IV6 sonority. Singing this, I would try to make the first "my eyes and heart" sound like something very precious and then make the repetition a reassurance to the initial statement.
The piano interlude in measures 26-30, I interpret as just a prolongation of the tonic because of the constant E flat in the bass. Perhaps that E flat can be heard as the "peace" portrayed in the poetry. Obviously, there's a lot going on in the rest of the piano part, but there's a reason for that E flat and I think it's to establish the idea of peace through use of a constant tonic presence.
The next section is almost exactly the same as the first only to different text. There are a few differences such as an extra secondary dominant and a neighboring tone here and there, but mostly, it's just preparing for the upcoming section. Here's the translation just in case you don't have one handy: "Come live with me, and close quietly behind you the gates. Drive other pain out of this breast. May my heart be full with your pleasure." Notice Schubert has the same text painting scheme in the second verse. For instance, words like "pain" go on dominant harmonies while words like "pleasure" belong to tonic. Overall, the phrase, uses conflicting language- hence the dominant and secondary dominants.
Performing this section, I would have a slightly elevated mood in the first line "come live with me" as opposed to the opening of the song. Certainly I would articulate "drive other pain" with the conviction that a minor i deserves and glide it into the very next line smoothly until the tonic resolution which is reinstated by the following piano part.
This next section is often referred to as the most exciting part of the song and although I definitely appreciate all of its amazing qualities, I can't fail to recognize the fact that it wouldn't be so special without the preceding "whispery" pianissimo sections. Let's say Schubert just plowed right into this song with this section (like some composers choose to do, yuck!) with no gentle, soft part to come before,- then it wouldn't be as exciting and unabashedly romantic as it is. Ok, so this next part uses modal mixture to get the excitement going. Schubert goes from I-flatVI-flatIII-flatVI-V-I-IV, all in the matter of 7 measures. Placing this kind of progression under this text, I have to think that Schubert probably heard these words as being the most meaningful. Translation: "The tabernacle of my eyes by your radiance alone is illumined. Oh fill it completely!" But there's also a part of me that thinks perhaps he thought that they were not as important and that at this point in the song, the music and harmonies were to be the highlight. After all, it is naturally more difficult to hear text when being sung to chords such as flat sixes and flat threes. I also wonder about the IV chord before the measure of a rest. Was Schubert foreshadowing this climax earlier with his As? Is it just a coincidence that the singer's climactic note is an A? Why does Schubert put in that measure of rest before finishing the phrase with a quiet statement that would've felt at home in the first two sections of the piece? Probably to reinforce the mood of the song: rest, peace, calm. What could be more restful than silence? And the performers and the listener certainly need some after that long line of crazy- romantic excitement. The piano gets a soft statement in, like the singer before the singer lights up again with another climactic line, identical to the previous. This time, after the measure of literal rest, Schubert actually marks in the pianissimo directions for a final "whisper" from the singer that uses the sweet-sounding progression IV6, I64, V, I. But the singer ends on the fifth of the chord, meaning that the piano has to finish this resolution, making it even more romantic because the performers enact what the poetry wishes. Which is exactly why this is one of my favorite songs- you get all the romance of "The Notebook" in one 3 minute song. =)

Catherine's post

In Leonard Bernstein’s musical West Side Story, most people are aware of the well-known love song “Somewhere.” This song is sung between the two main characters in the musical, Tony and Maria, and expresses how one day they will be able fully and truly love each other. This song is capturing due to its harmonic composition. And interestingly when one hears the climactic areas of the piece, one is actually listening to a mixture chord. For example, the second half of the first verse reads, “There’s a time for us, someday a time for us. Time together with time to spare, time to learn, time to care.” Once the singer reaches “Time together…” he or she has reached the building point to the first mixture chords. The progression: V V7 iii iv IV bII i bIII bVI. The mixture chord bIII leads into the bVI, which is when the performer sings “Someday, somewhere…” At this point of the song the singer has reached the point where he or she has come to the conclusion that there is hope. He or she will find harmony and love in his or her life. This same chord progression occurs at the end.
This harmony illustrates to the listener the passion the singer holds for love. It sets an importance on that magical feeling. However, the chord also has a mystifying quality to it. It allows the listener to realize that this emotion is important, but it can’t be complete until the future. It allows the listener to take in the emotions of the singer. The mixed feelings of joy, hope, and optimisim.

Nick's post

I decided to choose a musical theatre piece for my blog this week. It is a song that I believe to be a happy medium between musical theatre and classical music. The piece is “A Bit of Earth” from “The Secret Garden”. If no one is familiar with this piece, please take the time to find it, because it is not only beautiful, but moving as well. The beginning of the song starts soft as the singer describes how a little girl simply wants a “little bit of earth”. He does not understand why, and he believes the world does not care if one girl wants something to grow. Then he goes on to discuss how the girl needs a family, and how she needs to learn to “work her girlish charms”. Throughout both of these “A” sections, we are in the key of A major and we see chords such as I and IV with only rhythms changing. We suddenly reach the center of the piece, where the singer is thinking of all the things the girl deserves to have. Here, the key has changed to Db major. The singer then states that “she should have a pony, galloping across the moor. To help paint this picture in our head, the composer (Lucy Simon) puts in modal mixture by throwing “me” or Bbb into the piece with sets of triplets. She does the same thing again on the next line, and then the performers emotions have begun to build and as this section hits its climax, Simon also puts in “te” or Cb into some 7th chords, creating an overwhelming feeling for the performer as well as the listener. The piece then goes back to the same theme as the beginning until the end where we have our final mixture. In this key (A major), Simon gives us “te” again on a G natural to give a sense of conclusion to the piece. The song ends on a floating high A which sends chills down the spine of the listener. I would highly recommend this piece both for performing, and listening…Enjoy!

Muzio Clementi, Sonatina in C Dur, Op. 36, No.1, first movement

This sonatina is pretty much straight-forward, and I believe everyone has played it once (if you didn't you should. It's a very famous piece and a good exercise for the left hand-arpeggiated notes). The piece is mostly I-V-I... , but then it modulates to the dominant key (V),(G DUR).
There are several vii half diminished chords which are usually followed by I.

The B section begins with V7 chord followed by i MINOR which is obviously mixture chord. Those 8 measures (from m.16-m.23) are great example of modal mixture.
V42
i63
vii
iV
V7
i3
vii
i
V
I MAJOR/DURRRrrrrr.... The left hand brings the first theme again just one octave lower.

Braddah IZ or otherwise known as Israel Kamakawiwo'ole is the man! Well, he was the man, but unfortunately he died 11 years ago. Even now, his take on Somewhere over the Rainbow is often played and used as backmusic for movies like 50 First Dates. New CDs with old recordings of him are still being produced. He plays the song with an ukulele and his own voice. The main chords that are used are G, D, C, and em. I think there is some mixture chords and modulation in this song. There are large leaps in parts of the lyrics that portray his emotions in the music. The song has a light and easy on the ears. Because of the soothing sounds this song does portray a lot of emotions and soul when IZ sings. The song just fades out and the listerners are able to just visualize something relazing. It sounds just like searching for the end of the rainbow.

Voi, che sapete

In "Voi, che sapete," from The Marriage of Figaro, Mozart frequently uses mixture to convey different emotions. It begins with a very cheerful piano introduction in B flat major leading into the first section (m 9-20). This section also comes across as a very standard little happy melody, which fits with the text, as she is talking about a feeling in her heart that she thinks may be love. The only non chordal tones are chromatic passing tones. In the next section, however, things being to change. We start to see secondary dominants (m 25) and major VI chords (m27), which start to portray her confusion of what this feelings really is. Then, at measure 37, we briefly change to A flat major, as her feeling is now also changing from confusion to stress, stress that keeps building and building into 49, where we switch to G minor for 4 measures until something very interesting happens. At this part in the text, the performers anguish starts to build, and Mozart also builds up the music, literally. He starts on a I chord back in B flat it measure 53. In measure 54, he goes up a half step to a ii chord...in measure 55, a II chord. This patterns goes on measure by measure through a iii, III, iv, IV, vii dim/ V, and finally a V. This chromatic building really provides a sense of tensions rising. Then we reach measure 62, where she comes to terms with her languish and decides that she rather enjoys it, and are back to the happy major melody to the end.

Modal Mixture in the Theme from Jurassic Park (That's right, I went there...)

Begin Log.

Well, let me start off be saying that John Williams is Da Bomb! I mean, who is better than JW in today's society? That's right, no one. So, I have chosen to remark on his music from (you know it, you love it) Jurassic Park (I know it's not classical, but, hey, that wasn't in the criteria...). However, in all actuality, I only chose this piece because it was within reach of my desk chair.

I'm a huge Spielberg (and Spiegelberg) fan as well. I have 4 of his autographs (I'm not so sure about two of them...) just for kicks.

Let's get down to it.

There is only one mixture chord and it occurs 4 times according to my own count. It is a bVII and always occurs before a V chord. During the first three occurences the progression is I-bVII-V-I. In these cases, the chord is a 9 chord in 2nd inversion. However, the last occurence is I-V-bVII-V-I. In this case, the chord is simply a root position triad.

The desired affect for this chord is most likely tension. This can be felt by both the performer and the listener. However, once the performer practices and listens to it more than once, the surprise of the tension goes away and they are left with a colorful chord progression to elevate the piece. The same goes for the listener. It's like watching a movie! Of course, if you've seen the movie a dozen times or more (like me...) then you know what is going to happen. Besides all that, the surprise of the tense bVII chord when it is heard for the first time, and even the second time, is encouraging to our musical minds.

End Log.

Schubert's text painting

Franz Schubert set the text of Friedrich Rückert's poem "Du bist die Ruh" in 1823. The poem title translates to "You are the Rest". I picked this piece from our anthology and then had to ask if I could still use it because it was discussed in the chapter, however, while looking over the chapter I found that the authors did not look at the piece in its entirety rather they divided it and looked at the sections that had the most obvious modal mixture chords.

In my deeper analyzation I found the very subtle use of modal mixture chords chosen to further the text painting of the piece. The first verse is set in a very standard way, with no mixture chords, only some suspensions to further the idea of peace and rest discussed in the lyrics. In the second verse, however we find a ivº43 in measure 16 and again in measures 18 and 20. It is in these three measures that the composer paired these chords with the words "pleasure and pain" and "eyes and heart". As a performer I would consider two things when beginning to approach this piece. First being that Schubert chose a minor chord to bring out the idea of pain, this is the first time a sad thought has entered this piece. Secondly, I would notice the idea of the mixture of pleasure and pain, and the mixture of eyes and heart and how he chose a mixture chord to express the idea that pain (minor) can find its way among the happiness (major).

The third verse has the same harmony as the first verse and again has no use of mixture chords because the text does not call for it. In the fourth verse however the word pain is used and therefore Schubert again chose to use a iv. The chord is then repeated in the same kind of pattern but two measures later where the listener would expect a iv they find a IV because the text changed to "may my heart be full".

The harmony of the fifth verse helps convey to the performer the sense of strength and conclusion of the piece. The use of mixture chords in measures 55, 56, and 57 set up the listener and performer for what is the climax of the piece. The fifth verse is repeated so as to further emphasis the climax. The rest used before the final line helps the performer recompose his or herself before the final statement, "Oh fill it completely". It helps draw attention to the intensity of the plea.

Schubert brilliantly uses modal mixtures as direction for how he wished this piece to be performed. His textual painting allows a listener to understand this piece, even if he or she didn't know a single word of German.

Pick a song!

In the hit Broadway musical Wicked, written by Stephan Schwartz, there are mixture chords and key changes are everywhere. They signify anything from change mood to foreshadowing. The song “I’m not that Girl” has a different use of mixture chords than in the rest of the show. Elphaba, the lead character, is singing about her sorrows of not being the typical girl that men fall in love with. Seeing how she is green it’s a little understandable. During the first and last sections the song stays in A Major, and is her simple warnings of letting oneself get lost in the moment. However in the middle section the very first chord is a bVI. This is the only time she lets her self go in a sense. “Every so often we long to steal to the land of What-Might-Have-Been,” she says with the musical change continuing through both the voice and piano containing multiple bVI chords. While the section is only eight measures it is vastly different from the other two sections in the song. In the last measure of the section on the downbeat of the last section the piano plays the very last F sharp. The piece concludes in the original key of A major. While the middle section is short and only contains one type of mixture chord it changes the entire sound of that section, it makes it stand out, and makes you listen. The song would not be complete without this section either. That’s why is stands out so much to me. While is sounds so different and separate from the rest of the song, it is an essential part. I also like that it is a sad song, that’s not in minor. Wicked is a show that tends to surprise you like that, for instance the only love song in the show is in minor. But that’s another analysis in and of itself!

Modal mixture-one more reason Kurt Cobain is a genius

If you've never listened to Nirvana, now would be the time. Kurt Cobain's songwriting abilities are out of this world. Not only are all of the band's songs killer, but great for analyzing. Such examples are "Lithium," "In Bloom," and "About a Girl." All three of these songs have examples of some intense rock modal mixture. But I'm going to talk about "Lithium" from the Nevermind album.
In this song, we hear consecutive progressions of thirds that move the music in and out of major and minor modes. This can be heard clearly in the guitar introduction and throughout the song underneath the vocal line of the verses and choruses. bVI and bVII chords make their appearance fittingly in these progressions and add to the song's overall impact. The somewhat instability of the constant fluctuation between major and minor paints the music onto the lyric canvas. Kurt sings:
"I'm so happy 'cause today I've found my friends...They're in my head.
I'm so ugly, but that's okay, 'cause so are you...We've broken our mirrors.
Sunday morning is everyday for all I care...And I'm not scared
Light my candles in a daze...'Cause I've found god."

These lyrics are haunting and the mixture helps add to the overall unsteady, anguished feel of the song. Kurt does an amazing job singing the lyrics, providing the final touch of angst that reaches out to the listener. He also sings
"I like you-I'm not gonna crack. I miss you-I'm not gonna crack. I love you-I'm not gonna crack."
For me, the moving in and out of the major and minor modes along with the mixture helps to create a mood of growing anxiety, like that of a person tempter to break a mirror or shatter a relationship with someone or something. It's a brilliant song and one of my personal Nirvana favorites. It's one of those songs you can turn up in your car when you've had a bad day and after putting all of your negative energy into it, you feel surprisingly better.

Well, I hope you all have enjoyed my blog on Nirvana. If you don't own one or all of their albums, I strongly encourage a visit to your local CD store or iTunes.

For more on mixture in rock music, check out this nifty little article that helped me out with this blog. "Exploring modal subversions in alternative music" by Chris McDonald from Popular Music Volume 19/3 Cambridge University Press, 2000.

I am so glad Tiffypoo thought of this! Mixture chords aren’t only for people like Fanny and Ludwig; the Beatles were masters of the mixture chord. “It won’t be long” is the opening track on the album With the Beatles released in 1963. It was a collaboration of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. It is written in E Major, but uses the modal mixture chord bVI. This chord is effective text painting. It appears in the first verse, which says “Every night, when everybody has fun” on the word “everybody”. And it is used again on the next line “here am I, sitting all on my own” beginning on the word “sitting”. The slightly darker sound of the bVI serves to add a pouting quality to the lines. The singer appears jealous that everyone else is having fun while they are stuck sitting alone. The overall mood of the song is not pouty or whiney, it is an upbeat song. “It won’t be long now, till I belong to you” is the refrain, which has a feeling of hope and excitement, appropriate to its major key. As a performer, the mixture chord should be emphasized, maybe adding an accent to le, to really highlight the different moods of the verse and the refrain. A performer might also try stretching the measure of the bVI chord, if they wanted to really stress its importance. It affects the listener by making them appreciate the upbeat sounds of the chorus, and making them listen more carefully to the lyrics. This can be dangerous, however. For instance, when Amy Winehouse listened to this song, she was reminded of “me Blake (her husband) incarcerated! (for hitting her)” and instead of focusing on the happiness of the fact that “it won’t be long” until they are reunited, she let all her attention remain on their separation. Just look how unhappy it made her!

I’m sure neither John nor Paul had that in mind, when using the bVI.

Wolfram's Aria, O du mein Holder Abendstern

In Wagner's opera Tannhauser, the character of Wolfram is in love with Tannhauser's lover, but becuase of the highly christian theme he is doomed to love her from a far. In his beautiful aria, "O du mein holder Abendstern" he prays to the stars to keep her safe. The aria begins in G minor, where block chords are played and the harp arpeggiates. In the second section, the strings have a tremolo in B flat major. Then the key becomes G major, and the voice line decends chromatically. In the third measure of the section is a Bb major chord, to a D major, then the fourth measure the voice line resolves into a beautiful Eb major chord in G major, making it a lovely bVI. The effect on the performer, let him know to make the end of the line as strong as the beginning of the line to bring out the tension, between the Eb major chord and the E natural in the voice. To the listener the modal chord draws them in to the final section of the aria. The tension is not upsetting at all, but instead conveys to all who listen the joy and pain Wolfram feels for his love, the pain of wanting something so bad and be denied and the simple joy of even know that your love exsists. The chromaticism Wagner uses excentuates the feeling of this upright man surrendering himself to his love of Elizabeth, Tannhauser's lover. In another section of the aria, a bVII foreshadows him returning to his grief and sadness. The use of modal chords in this aria make it one of the most beautiful Wagner arias ever written.

The Beatles: Masters of Mixture

The typical I-IV-V-I chord progression became a virtual institution of early rock music. It can most commonly be heard in early rockabilly music from artists such as Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, and most famously, the early works of the Beatles. This pattern, however, soon shaped an evolution from fun, youth-like rockabilly to the hard rocking sound of the late 60s and early 70s.

In the music of The Beatles, this "borrowing" of chords from the minor mode while in the major key makes itself evident as early as 1963 with the release of their first album, "Please Please Me." Many of the songs on this album were covers of early rockabilly songs from artists including Carole King. However, the song with which the title of the album shares its name is a Beatles original, and possesses the usage of a new mixture chord within the typical I-IV-V-I progression--now, instead of this progression, the Beatles go (in the verses) from a sustained I to a quick IV, back to I, and then, surprisingly, a bIII - IV- V! The mixture chord here is apparent; it is the use of the bIII. This chord change doesn't occur while John Lennon is singing--John finishes his sentence "Last night I said these words to my girl" (while the I-IV-I progression occurs) and after he stops singing, the bIII makes itself known in a sort of short following statement from the guitar. This bIII brings with it a few implications to the listener as well as the performer.

To the listener, it is reasonable to expect that a bIII would not show up in the upbeat, happy I-IV-I progression that has already been established. Therefore, this bIII is a bit of a surprise, but not in a shocking or undesirable way. Perhaps in this song, it is important that Lennon is not singing while the bIII is played. Perhaps the guitar statement can be seen as a quick interlude to give the listener time to think about what it is that Lennon said to his girl the night before--because the audience is so intent on listening to the words, perhaps they will also notice the interesting modal mixture in the instrumental interlude, though he/she may not realize it. This gives the listener a chance to hear a new type of chord progression and focus on a type of raw sound that had never been created before. This funky bIII from Harrison's guitar provides a driving force to the song that it may not have had if replaced with another typical rockabilly chord. Because it was so much different than anything the youth of the early 60s would be used to hearing, it provided somewhat of a new sound and a groove that would open itself up to even more musical possibilities in the future. The Beatles realized this and soon capitalized on modal mixture in future songs including Help!, Strawberry Fields Forever, Magical Mystery Tour, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and Oh! Darling.

For the performer, this mixture creates a bit more of a hard rock type of sound than in past years. For the Beatles, this was something different than what anyone else had been doing, including their own work. For them, that meant that making the usage of mixture chords more predominant in their work could certainly be to their advantage. Looking back on it now, it is fortunate that they did just that--from Please Please Me to Abbey Road was certainly a dramatic evolution of rock music that couldn't have been shaped without the use of modal mixture.



To read more about the prominence of mixture chords in the music of The Beatles, see this book, The Songwriting Secrets of The Beatles, by Dominic Pedler.