Here is a video of an improvisation of mine which I named A Lyric Without Words. The title is a nod to the Romantic composer Felix Mendelssohn’s well known Songs Without Words (Lieder ohne Worte), which were a collection of lyrical and expressive piano pieces. These titles reflect the idea that sometimes a melody without words is a more precise expression of emotion and truth, because words can muddy the waters, or not fully convey the ambiguity and complexity of the reality. Sometimes emotions are too raw to be constrained by language, and risk being reduced to something that doesn’t quite hit the mark. Music bypasses language to sing directly of the soul.
I started this improvisation in D flat major (aka Ionian). The warmth and brightness of major keys/Ionian modes can have a gentle and optimistic quality, but my frequent addition of an add9 chord on the subdominant (chord IV) created tension, longing and bittersweetness — echoing the multilayered nature of even the positive emotions.
A modulation to B flat Aeolian (natural minor), the relative minor of D♭ major, introduced a darker brooding quality, like walking through a shadowed valley, but knowing that the safety of the light of the related D♭ major is not far away.
It only required a small pivot to step back up into the stable illumination of D♭ major, which was where the music closed.
Modal Table Showing Note Names and Parent Scales
| Mode Used | Note Names | Parent Scale | Modal Relationship |
|---|---|---|---|
| D♭ Ionian (Major) | D♭, E♭, F, G♭, A♭, B♭, C | D♭ Major | 1st Mode of Major |
| B♭ Aeolian (Natural Minor) | B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F, G♭, A♭ | D♭ Major | 6th Mode of Major (Relative Minor) |
Interval Formulas
- Ionian (Major Scale): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
- Aeolian (Natural Minor): 1, 2, ♭3, 4, 5, ♭6, ♭7
Further Reading and Listening
You can listen to one of my recordings of Mendelssohn’s Songs Without Words here.
Learn more about modes here: Complete Guide to Modes of the Major, Melodic Minor, and Harmonic Minor Scales
