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Monday 8 October 2012

Psalm 29 and the Chromatic Phrygian

Suzanne Haik-Vantoura's suggested modes for psalms are quite surprising. The one she names chromatic phrygian (here) is B chromatic minor with a flattened second and a tonic fourth. How's that! said the cricketer, expecting an out call, but not getting one.

Strange that it actually seems to 'work' and though strange at first, it is not completely foreign to the ear. Psalm 29 begins with a common incipit ending on the normal A sub-dominant, and shared by both David (Psalm 15) and Asaph (Psalm 50). Then SHV suggests that strange mode as its rendition, effectively sharpening the atenach so that it no longer comes to rest mid-verse. What more should be inferred? [Ignore apparent note values in her transcription.]

I hope soon to look at Psalms 29 and 93 - both assigned this mode, to hear and see what it seems to imply.

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