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Phrygian mode

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Phrygian mode (also known as Kurdish mode due to historical confusion) can refer to two very different musical modes or diatonic scales.

Greek Phrygian mode

The Phrygian mode is named after the ancient kingdom of Phrygia in Anatolia. In Greek music theory it was based on the Phrygian tetrachord: a series of rising intervals of a whole tone, followed by a semitone, followed by a whole tone. Applied to a whole octave, the Phrygian mode was built upon two Phrygian tetrachords separated by a whole tone. This is the same as playing all the white notes on a piano keyboard from D to D: D E F G | A B C D. Placing the two tetrachords together, and the single tone at bottom of the scale produces the Hypophrygian mode (below Phrygian): G | A B C D | (D) E F G. Placing the two tetrachords together, and the single tone at the top of the scale produces the Hyperphrygian mode (above Phrygian), which is effectively the same as the Hypodorian mode: A B C D | (D) E F G | A. Confusingly, the ancient-Greek Phrygian mode is the same as the mediaeval and modern Dorian mode.

Mediaeval and modern Phrygian mode

The early Catholic church developed a system of eight musical modes (the octoechos), which mediaeval music scholars related to the ancient Greek modes. However, due to a misinterpretation of the Latin texts of Boethius, mediaeval modes were given the wrong Greek names. Thus, in mediaeval and modern music, the Phrygian mode is a minor musical mode or diatonic scale and may be constructed from the major scale starting on the third scale degree. The scale consists of flat 2, flat 3, flat 6, and flat 7 in the starting pitch's major scale.

Using a major diatonic pattern as the starting point, the mediaeval and modern Phrygian mode has the formula 1, b2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7. Its tonic chord is a minor triad: this would be E minor in the white-note version of the Phrygian mode, which is also the mediant triad in the key of C major.

Following this pattern, if we start with an E Major diatonic scale (E,F#,G#,A,B,C#,D#,E), the Phrygian mode may be played on the white keys of the piano, going from E to E (simply remove all the sharps):

  • E,F,G,A,B,C,D,E.

Jazz musicians use the Phrygian mode over a "sus4(b9)" chord

If the third note is augmented back to its major scale value, a Phrygian dominant scale, which is the fifth mode of the Harmonic Minor scale will be produced. Phrygian-dominant is also known as the Spanish gypsy scale, and is often used in flamenco music. Some flamenco music uses both Phrygian and Phrygian-dominant (often switching back and forth between these two scales).

Possibly reflecting this flamenco usage, the 11th movement of Isaac Albéniz's Iberia, "Jerez", has substantial passages near the beginning which can be seen as pure E Phrygian, including later on instances of the tonic triad being changed to the major. (It's a little ambiguous, because the same passage could be seen as A Aeolian, followed by A minor when the dominant major triads enter the music.)

Some Italian songs, like most of The Godfather soundtrack themes, are promptly recognized as Italian music by the flat second note, which identifies the Phrygian mode.

The horn call that begins and ends the slow movement of Brahms' Fourth Symphony is based on the Phygian mode, out of which the main theme of this movement emerges,

Mediaeval and Renaissance Use

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Last updated on Saturday March 08, 2008 at 16:45:11 PST (GMT -0800)
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