From The Dodecachordon
In Latin
by Henricus Loris Glareanus
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English Translation by Clement A. Miller*
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Pg. 102
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Pg. 64
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At nos sex principes cum
singulis plagiis, ut Aristoxenus, ponemus, ut sit numerus
duodecim... Sunt autem principes numeri sex. Dorius, Phrygius,
Lydius, Mixolydius, Aeolius et Iastinus, sive (utroque enim
modo reprias) Ionicus. Plagii item sex cum to hupi compositi,
Hypodorius, Hypophrygius, Hypolydius, Hypomixolydius, Hypoaeolius,
Hypoiastius que et Hypoionicus. Hi sunt veri indubitati
duodecim Modi...
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But we shall propose, like Aristoxenus, six
principal modes, with a single plagal for each, so that the
number of the modes will be twelve.... The authentic modes
are six in number, the Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian,
Aeolian, and Iastian or Ionian (for one will find it both
ways). There are also six plagal modes formed with the prefix
Hypo, the Hypodorian, Hypophrygian, Hypolydian, Hypomixolydian,
Hypoaeolian, Hypoiastian or Hypoionian. These are without
doubt twelve genuine modes... |
Pg. 101 |
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Pg. 140
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Finales igitur duodecim Modorum chordae ita
habent secundum ipsorum naturam. Aeolii ac Hypoaeolii in
A. Ionici ac Hypoionici in C. Dorii ac Hypodorii in D. Phrygii
ac Hypophrygii in E. Lydii ac Hypolydii in F. Mixolydii
ac Hypomixolydii in G. B clavis omissa est, quod in ea rarius
cantus finiunt. Si tamen in ea inveniantur...ii cantus erunt
Hyperaeolii ac Hyperphrygii, duorum Modorum a posteris adiectorum...
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Therefore, the final strings of the twelve
modes are arranged according to their nature, in this way:
Aeolian and Hypoaeolian on A, Ionian and Hypoionian in C,
Dorian and Hypodorian on D, Phrygian and Hypophrygian on
E, Lydian and Hypolydian on F, Mixolydian and Hypomixolydian
on G. The B key has been omitted because songs rarely end
on it. However, if they should be found on it, … these songs
will be Hyperaeolian and Hyperphrygian, two modes added
by posterity...
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Pg. 102
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Pg. 140
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Haec Modorum tam intricata
ordinis ratio, ac sedium tanta diversitas in causa fuit,
cur vera de his traditio tot annos doctissimos latuerit,
nemo obrogatus, quis esset Ionicus Modus, aut quomodo a
Lydio distingueret, quis Aeolius aut quomodo a Dorio differret...
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This very involved reckoning of the order
of modes and the great diversity of their tonics was the
reason why a true tradition about this matter has been hidden
for so many years from the most learned men, and no one,
if questioned, could define clearly what mode the Ionian
was, or how it could be distinguished from the Lydian, or
what the Aeolian was and how it differed from the Dorian...
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The following texts discuss specific
modes and are set in a contrapuntal manner against one another.
The texts appear in the same order
as they first occur in the piece.
The letter S, A, T or B are placed
in between the original Latin and the translation to label
the voice
(i.e. soprano, alto, tenor, bass) in which the text appears.
The numbers refer to the mode which
the text is discussing as well as the scale that is employed
in the melodic setting. The standard numbering system of
the modes is used and is reprinted after the texts. If no
number is specified, then the mode is dorian.
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Hic Modus optimo iure primus
erat, cum veneranda gravitate, tum sublimi quadam et inenarrabili
maiestate.
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This mode was deservedly the first, not only
because of its venerable dignity but also through a certain
sublime indescribable majesty.
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Cum enim Dorium per lasciviam variare vellent in diatessaron
superiore, imprudentes in Aeolium inciderunt, perinde atque
de Lydio diximus, quem eadem lascivia in Ionicum postea
torserunt verius quam flexerunt.
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For when they wished to vary
the Dorian in the upper fourth through caprice, they unknowingly
fell into the Aeolian, just as we said about the Lydian,
which also by caprice they later distorted rather than deflected
into the Ionian.
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Huius Modi exempla omnium
rarissima sunt...
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Examples of this mode are
the rarest of all.
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Sequitur Mixolydius Princeps,
sed qui principatus vetustate ac reverentia magis quam usu
hominum in precio est...
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The Mixolydian follows, a
principal mode, but its pre-eminence is in repute more through
great age and venerability than through use by men...
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Pg. 266 |
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Ut verum sit quod quidam
Musici aiunt nullos duos quidem Modos propius coniungi quam
Hypophrygium ac Phrygium...
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So that it is true what some musicians say, that indeed
no two modes are more closely joined than the Hypophrygian
and the Phrygian...
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Alter huius tertiae diapason speciei ex
C in c Modus est Ionicus qui et Iastius, nostrae aetate
usitatissimus, ad quem omne Ut, referunt Cantores et Symphonetae...
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The Ionian, also called the
Iastian, extending from C to c, is the other mode of this
third octave-species; it is the most used mode in our
time, and singers and symphonetae refer every ut to it...
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Sed ne huius quidem Modi exempla apud
Symphonetas nostrae aetatis in ullo sunt usu.
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But there are no examples
of this mode in use today among the symphonetae of our
time.
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Est enim vulgatissimus, et
multae cantionum Chiliades ad hunc factae inveniuntur.
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For it is very common, and many thousands of songs are found
that have been composed according to this mode.
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Pg. 257-258
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Hic apud veteres ecclesiasticos
in maximo fuit usu, hodie non ita frequenti. Themata quidem
vetera festivissime nostra aetate Symphonetae quatuor
componunt vocibus, at ipsi raro nova inveniunt.
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Among early church musicians
it was in great use, but it is not in such frequent use
today. Indeed, symphonetae in our time arrange the old
themes very pleasantly in four voices, but they rarely
invent new ones.
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...nempe qui hoc pacto in Hypoionicum incidat, qui non
parum hoc concinnior atque mollior est Modus. Itaque Hypoionici
lenocinium huic ita obfuit, ut propemodum obliteraverit,
extinxeritque.
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In this way it falls into the Hypoionian, which is a somewhat
softer and more pleasing mode. And thus the allurement
of the Hypoionian has been so injurious to this mode that
it has almost been obliterated and destroyed.
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Aeolii Plagius, apud Symphonetas maiore
in usu (quanqam id illi nesciunt) est, quam apud eos qui
in choro planum habent cantum... Quia eius diatessaron
la mi inferne in sol re temere mutata est, atque ita in
Hypodorium recidit Musicorum ignorantia, qui Modos tam
propinquos discriminare non poterant.
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It is the plagal of the Aeolian,
in greater use among symphonetae (although they do not
know it) than among those who have plain song in a choir,
… because its fourth below, la mi, has been changed arbitrarily
into sol re below, and so it falls into the Hypodorian
through the ignorance of musicians who could not distinguish
such closely related modes.
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Pg. 288
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In omnibus autem huius Modi
exemplis transpositio est per diatessaron a proprio loco,
ut Basis intra Scalam locum habeat, nec extra vagent...
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But all the examples of this mode are transposed
from the proper tonic by a fourth, so that the bass may
have a place within the scale and not wander beyond it...
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Sed subiiciendum est etiamnum
Thema, quod uno dumtaxat semitonio, quo Lydius ac Ionicus
a se invicem distant, et quo variato ex Lydio fieri pulcherrime
potest Ionicus...
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But a theme must also be
added which can show us very quickly how the differences
of modes can be observed in the one semitone by which the
Lydian and Ionian are mutually separated and through which
variation the Ionian can arise very beautifully from the
Lydian...
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Tria apud veteres hic Modus habet nomina. Nam et Hypomixolydius
et Hyperiastius, et Hyperionicus dicitur.
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This mode has three names
among early musicians. For it is called Hypomixolydian,
Hyperiastian, and Hyperionian.
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Hi sunt veri indubitati duodecim
Modi...
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These are without doubt twelve
genuine modes...
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...ex vulgata Musicorum sententia,
vix alios duos Modos proprius connecti quam huncce Phrygium
cum suo plagio, Hypophrygio.
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According to the general opinion of musicians scarcely any
other two modes are connected as characteristically as the
Phrygian with the Hypophrygian, its plagal.
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Pg. 354
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Ultimus hic Modus, nostra
etate adeo vulgaris, ac in hominum tam frequenti est usu,
ut nisi aliorum omnium Modorum exempla nobis posita essent,
huius omissurus fuerim, qui apud veteres Ecclesiasticos,
cum omnia matura ac gravia essent, prope exularit.
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This final mode which was
almost unused by early church musicians at a time when
all matters were mature and weighty, is so very common
in our time and in such frequent use among men that I
would have omitted an example of it if we had not presented
examples of all the other modes.
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Hi sunt veri indubitati duodecim
Modi... Hi sunt veri indubitati duodecim Modi... etc.
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These are without doubt twelve
genuine modes... These are without doubt twelve genuine
modes... etc.
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1.
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| 2. |
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Hypodorian
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| 3. |
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Phrygian |
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Hypophrygian |
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Lydian |
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Hypolydian |
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Mixolydian |
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Hypomixolydian |
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Aeolian |
| 10. |
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Hypoaeolian |
| 11. |
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Ionian |
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12.
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Hypoionian
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* = Excerpted from Clement A. Miller's English translation of
The Dodecachordon by Henricus Loris Glareanus
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