For this improvised piece of music, I chose the title Hazel Tree because the symbolism and mythology of the hazel tree echoed some of the imagery that came to my mind. In various different folklores and mythologies, hazel trees symbolise hidden knowledge and divine wisdom, protection, poetic and prophetic inspiration, and the threshold between the everyday world and the spiritual world or faerie realm.
For me, both the Phrygian dominant mode and the Lydian dominant mode have that sense of wonder that can be felt when encountering revelation of previously hidden knowledge; combined with that atmosphere of ancient wisdom.
The Lydian dominant mode can also convey an otherworldly magical quality, which is grounded by the addition of the warmth of the Dorian mode, like the dappled sunlight brightening a shaded faerie woodland. For me the harmonic minor sometimes conveys a sense of mystery, as well as melancholy, and its occasional appearance in this piece of music reinforced the themes of secrecy and magic.
A fast broken chord texture that I ended up using frequently throughout this piece reminded me of the shimmering of leaves in the breeze within a woodland canopy. Sometimes this texture concealed melodies that then emerged while the broken chords cleared for a moment, like encountering a clearing in the forest, and like the uncovered secrets that hazel trees represent in some folklores. Hazel trees are often coppiced, and in that respect they can symbolise resilient regrowth from a cut-back past — this idea of growth and determination was something that the modes and textures brought to mind for me.
Modes Used, Their Note Names, and Parent Scales
| Mode | Notes | Parent Scale | Modal Relationship |
| G Harmonic Minor | G A B♭ C D E♭ F♯ | G Harmonic Minor | 1st mode of Harmonic Minor |
| D Phrygian Dominant | D E♭ F♯ G A B♭ C | G Harmonic Minor | 5th mode of Harmonic Minor |
| E♭ Lydian Dominant | E♭ F G A B♭ C D♭ | B♭ Melodic Minor | 4th mode of Melodic Minor |
| F Dorian | F G A♭ B♭ C D E♭ | E♭ Major | 2nd mode of Major |
Interval Formulas:
- Harmonic Minor: 1 – 2 – ♭3 – 4 – 5 – ♭6 – 7
- Phrygian Dominant: 1 – ♭2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – ♭6 – ♭7
- Lydian Dominant: 1 – 2 – 3 – ♯4 – 5 – 6 – ♭7
- Dorian: 1 – 2 – ♭3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – ♭7
Learn More About the Modes and Scaled Used
How to Use the Phrygian Mode and Phrygian Dominant in Piano Improvisation
Lydian Dominant Mode Explained: Complete Guide with Note Names in All 12 Keys
Dorian Mode Explained: Complete Guide with Note Names in All 12 Keys
Complete Guide to Modes of the Major, Melodic Minor, and Harmonic Minor Scales
