Here is a video capturing an improvisation of mine which I named Willow’s Night Reflection. Weeping willow trees represent mourning and acceptance; as well as resilience due to their ability to bend without breaking. They often grow near water, and the image of a willow tree reflected in the body of water symbolises introspection and surfacing of insights. Willows are also often associated with the moon, representing intuition, dreams, and enlightenment within darkness. The image of a willow tree reflected in the water at night brings to my mind the idea of quiet strength within vulnerability.
I started in C Dorian, and the initially slow tempo along with the melancholy minor 3rd degree combined with the lifted major 6th degree made me think of peace and acceptance, as well as a lament.
I then shifted to G Phrygian, which sounded nocturnal to me because of its dark flat 2, along with the flat 3rd, 6th and 7th.
A modulation to D Mixolydian flat 6, using a Gm chord as a pivot chord, created a subtle brightening — like when something comes to mind upon reflection — the illuminating effect of insights rising to the surface. And yet the Mixolydian flat 6 mode still has shadows in its flattened 6th and 7th degrees.
Later, a modulation to C Phrygian created a downward pull into the night from another angle, acknowledging the grief and darkness, whilst providing hope in the major quality supertonic chord.
At the end, the music returned to C Dorian. Although it closed in that same hopeful, yet mournful mode that it started in, the texture had more movement and momentum than at the start. Throughout the piece these textures were interspersed, alternating between calm introspection and fast, broken-chord momentum — representing the idea that grief, acceptance, revelation and peace are not necessarily linear processes, but a constant, rhythmic ebb and flow.
Modes Used, Notes Names and Parent Scales
| Mode | Parent Scale | Note Names | Modal Relationship |
|---|---|---|---|
| C Dorian | B♭ Major | C, D, E♭, F, G, A, B♭ | II — 2nd mode of major scale |
| G Phrygian | E♭ Major | G, A♭, B♭, C, D, E♭, F | III — 3rd mode of major scale |
| D Mixolydian ♭6 | G Melodic Minor | D, E, F♯, G, A, B♭, C | V — 5th mode of melodic minor |
| C Phrygian | A♭ Major | C, D♭, E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭ | III — 3rd mode of major scale |
Interval Formulas
- C Dorian: 1 — 2 — ♭3 — 4 — 5 — 6 — ♭7
- G Phrygian: 1 — ♭2 — ♭3 — 4 — 5 — ♭6 — ♭7
- D Mixolydian ♭6: 1 — 2 — 3 — 4 — 5 — ♭6 — ♭7
- C Phrygian: 1 — ♭2 — ♭3 — 4 — 5 — ♭6 — ♭7
Further Reading and Listening
Learn more about modes in general here: Complete Guide to Modes of the Major, Melodic Minor, and Harmonic Minor Scales
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