query for songwriters re. Dorian

[Nikos Pappas]

Hello all,

I recently was going through the Shenandoah Harmony and was drawn to two tunes in it, LOCH LEVEN (118) arr. by Hayden from The Sacred Melodeon, and SOMERSET (230) by Samuel Wakefield from The Christian Harp. Both melodies draw from traditional practice of the British Isles, but the melody in Hayden remains firmly in the natural minor and the Wakefield tune makes a conscious effort to produce an initial Dorian sonority in the melody.

I went through the tunes in the book and found other historical sources that indicate a raised sixth fa in either the melody and/or the harmony including:

Europe

MARTYRS (374)

WORSHIP by Jeremiah Clarke (89)

New England

AUTUMN by Fisher (380)

MACHIAS by Maxim (213)

EXPERIENCE arr. Ingalls (206)

IN EVIL LONG arr. Mansfield (601)

Middle Atlantic

DIANA from Die Union Choral Harmonie (201)

KERSHAW from David's Harp (120)

SWAIN by Davisson (182)

South

MOUNT WATSON arr. Hauser (76)

This was a widespread practice and within these tunes, not all of the six fas are raised, but maybe once or twice occasionally. The point of this intro. is not to rehash the well trod issue of whether to raise 6ths, but rather to point out that some tunes naturally call for a raised 6th such as WONDROUS LOVE of course and others seem to be based upon the whim of the songwriter.

I've seen in past posts that Micah John Walter likes to Dorian-ize some tunes, both original and arranged. I was wondering how others on this list specify when or if they want the six fas raised, and/or expect singers in the sing to instinctively raise their sixths? Are others ambivalent and like a clash?

I'm curious because I've been experimenting with writing some tunes with an intentional raised six and was curious if some other people on the list do the same. I've seen that in addition to Micah, Dan Brittain and Judy Hauff do as well.

Thanks for your time.

Regards,

Nikos Pappas

[Robert Vaughn]

Not sure what term best describes my view. In a way I am ambivalent, and don't really care how others proceed. For myself, I do not conceive of a raised sixth in minor tunes that I write. Others might find a spot and think it ought naturally to be sung raised. If they do I am fine with that. I have written quite a few minor tunes -- more than in major -- but I think an inspection would show that I avoid the sixth in my minor tunes, or at least don't use it very much. It is not so much a deliberate "I don't want to use the sixth" as it is that I only find in pleasing to sing in minor when it falls a certain way.

His glories sing,

Robert Vaughn 

Mount Enterprise, TX

http://baptistsearch.blogspot.com 

Ask for the old paths, where is the good way

http://mtcarmelbaptist.blogspot.com 

For ask now of the days that are past...

http://oldredland.blogspot.com 

Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land.

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[Wade Kotter]

This is pretty much my approach. I don't really think of whether or not I want people to raise the sixth, which may be a deficiency on my part. If I actually get an experienced class to sing my minor tunes (not many of them, I must admit) and someone finds that raising the sixth sounds "right" then I'm fine with it, just like Robert.

Wade

Wade Kotter

South Ogden, UT

"Make a Joyful Noise Unto the Lord"

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[Wade Kotter]

One addendum: I have no problem with a composer notating a raised 6th if they wish to.

Also, I don't think I've ever seen a discussion of Dorian or the other modes in the rudiments of a late 18th or 19th century oblong tune book, including books my Mason and his ilk.

Wade

Wade Kotter

South Ogden, UT

"Make a Joyful Noise Unto the Lord"

[JasonFruit]

One of my tunes has 6-fa in two voices at once, and the few times it's been sung, I've worried that there would be a fa battle, since to me one feels like it should be raised and the other not. So far it's worked itself out okay without my specifying one way or the other, though.  I at one point had a person contact me about another tune and apply considerable pressure to specify a raised 6-fa, which I opted not to do, so I suppose I must be mildly opposed.

Jason Fruit

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[R. C. Webber]

I wrote one tune in dorian but otherwise haven't specified one way or the other.  Sometimes a singer asks whether or not to raise the 6th and my usual answer is that things will work out as long as everybody sings from the same page as far as that decision is concerned.

Randy

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