In this improvisation I have experimented with the lyricism and tenderness that can be found in the Mixolydian mode; and the strange, unsettled, tense quality of the Lydian ♯ 2 mode (Lydian sharp 2). I had intended to play something in the Dorian mode, but found myself exploring these two modes instead. As often happens, my ear and heart led me in the opposite direction to where my intellect thought I should go. Have a listen:
Update: I have also recorded Other, Part II
This improvisation was unusual for me because so far I have recorded (and played) improvisations in mostly flat key signatures (only a small number of sharps have appeared); and B Mixolydian has four sharps, C Lydian ♯2 has two. There was something different that drew me to the particular quality of these keys this time, as opposed to my usual tendency towards flats. It was also unusual for me to shift into other keys and back again quite so early in a piece of music.
One thing I found myself doing as a kind of leitmotif through the piece was to linger on suspensions, before allowing the release of the resolution chord. In music a leitmotif is a recurring theme, often based on a particular idea or character (character, as in “person”). To me, these frequent suspensions felt like they represented a felt sense of a person/character in a narrative. The drawn out nature of them created a sense of yearning.
This piece starts with ascending Mixolydian triads with octave bass, in B Mixolydian, followed by fast arpeggiated chords, still in a Mixolydian progression. Then it pivots to C Lydian ♯2 (not to be confused with the Lydian mode), still within the fast arpeggiated texture.
Next the music moves back B Mixolydian, with full chords in the right hand and melody voiced through the top notes or connecting notes, and arpeggiated or broken octave accompaniment in the left hand.
Then the music moves back to the earlier idea of fast arpeggiated chords, first in B Mixolydian, then in C Lydian ♯2. After this, the music takes on a minimalistic melody accompanied by deep bass notes, still in C Lydian ♯2, with a leaning towards the parent scale of E harmonic minor.
Finally, a pivot chord takes us back to B Mixolydian, with a slow reprise of one of the earlier melodic and chordal ideas to close.
The modes explained, and table with note names
B Mixolydian is the 5th mode of the E major scale, and C Lydian ♯2 is the 6th mode of the E harmonic minor scale. Here is a chart showing the modes, parent scales and note names:
| Mode | Parent Scale | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| B Mixolydian | E Major | B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A |
| C Lydian ♯2 | E Harmonic Minor | C D♯ E F♯ G A B |
You can learn more about modes here: Complete Guide to Modes of the Major, Melodic Minor, and Harmonic Minor Scales
You might also like Rhapsody in D — Improvisation in D Mixolydian ♭6 & D Aeolian, With F Major
Another improvisation using the Lydian sharp 2 mode:
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