Author: Cepheus
This article is number four in a series of short articles explaining the use of ancient musical modes to aid mental balance and inner harmony. The first article covered the subject in general; the second covered the Phlegmatic humour; and the third, dealt with the Choleric temperament. The present article deals with balancing the Sanguine.
I also cover the ancient Greek astrological conception of ...
the Four Temperaments and the Eight musical modes.
Sanguine personalities are usually highly extrovert. When balanced, the sanguine temperament exhibits the following:-
* Cheeriness
* Sociable nature
* Warm personality
* Enthusiastic demeanour
* Optimistic mood
* Friendliness
* Easy going character
When it is unbalanced it leads to :-
* Inability to see things through to the end
* Trouble with time keeping
* Absent mindedness
* A tendency to give friendship or love rather too readily. (Too naive and trusting)
* Flighty
The Lydian mode balances the Sanguine. So, if we want more of those qualities. we should play the Lydian. If, however, we are suffering from "too much Sanguine", (perhaps we have been overdoing the social life a bit, or need to bring ourselves back down to earth), we could play the hypolydian. This mode would also help correct an out-of-balance Sanguine if we have been experiencing too many of the negative Sanguine tendencies.
The Astrology of the Temperaments
According to ancient Greek Astrology, each Temperament is ruled by two planets: One increases the effects of the temperament, and the other decreases them.
The phlegmatic is increased by the SUN and reduced by the MOON;
The choleric is increased by MARS and decreased by MERCURY;
The sanguine is maximised by JUPITER and reduced by VENUS;
And the melancholic is increased by SATURN. The melancholic has no second ruling planet, but we will come to that in a little while.
The Modes and the Planets
There are eight modes but only seven recognized planets in astrology. This is why there is no balancing planet for Saturn in the melancholic humour.
The SUN rules the dorian mode. So, for instance, it is good for waking us up in the morning. The hypodorian, on the other hand, is ruled by the MOON. So it helps with falling asleep. That is why these two modes balance the phlegmatic, which is ruled by both the Sun and Moon.
The phrygian mode is ruled by MARS. Mars, being "warlike," powers the choleric. The hypophrygian, however, is ruled by MERCURY. As Mercury is known as the "messenger", this mode is useful for decreasing the autonomous nature of the Choleric, and replacing it with more communicative styles of leadership.
The Lydian is ruled by JUPITER. Jupiter is the "bringer of jollity", hence the importance of this mode for increasing sanguine tendencies. VENUS, on the other hand, rules the hypolydian. Venus is the Goddess of love. She is therefore connected with much more profound emotions (perhaps we could even say "sadder" emotions) than the flighty preoccupations of the Sanguine. So the hypolydian is good for grounding the sanguine in us.
The Structure of the Modal Scales
The modes can easily be worked out from an ordinary major scale. We will take C major as an example, as there are no black notes in it.
The scale of C major runs like this:
C D E F G A B C
The dorian mode is the same, but starting and finishing on the second note (D). From the therapeutic point of view, we only have one of each note, so it goes:
D E F G A B C
In the same way, the phrygian mode starts on the third note, (E);
The lydian goes from F to E;
And the mixolydian starts from the 5th note (G) and goes up to F.
These four are the "authentic modes". The four "hypo-" modes are called "plagal". These balance their authentic companions, and each starts a 4th below its authentic mode. So, to give an example, the hypodorian starts a 4th below the dorian, on the note ‘A'.
From the point of view of ancient Greek music therapy, all melodies should start on A (the "dynamic middle") and finish on the bottom note of the mode (the "Final"). The note 'A' is the 6th note in the root major, which, is C major in our example. This note corresponds to the SUN. By starting on A, and returning to it often, then ending on the Final, the power of the Sun is drawn down to the planet that rules the mode. For instance, in the Lydian, the solar power (note ‘A') is focused on Jupiter (F, or the 4th of the root major).
If you are on the ball, you will have noticed that the dorian and hypomixolydian are the same, as they are both based on D. But the hypomixolydian is a special mode with a slightly different rule. Hypomixolydian melodies start on A, the same as all the other modes, but they should NOT finish on D! They should finish on the Final of the Mixolydian, which happens to be G.
The hypomixolydian mode is not linked to a planet as such, but is considered to be cosmic - the mode of Heavenly Peace. It is therefore good for all therapeutic purposes, and belongs to the whole Cosmos, (or the "fixed stars" as they were known in ancient times). This mode is used to balance the melancholic humour by counteracting the power of SATURN.
The next article will deal with the last of the Temperaments: the Melancholic. I will also uncover more on the subject of creating modal compositions.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/stress-management-articles/the-pythagorean-musical-modes-the-four-temperaments-and-their-planetary-counterparts-3324607.html
About the Author
Cepheus is a composer, pianist and teacher with an interest in the development of consciousness. He has studied widely in the field of self development, particularly in the application of sound or music to stress related problems.
http://www.innerharmonymodalmusic.co.uk
http://www.honeysucklemusic.co.uk
This article is number four in a series of short articles explaining the use of ancient musical modes to aid mental balance and inner harmony. The first article covered the subject in general; the second covered the Phlegmatic humour; and the third, dealt with the Choleric temperament. The present article deals with balancing the Sanguine.
I also cover the ancient Greek astrological conception of ...
the Four Temperaments and the Eight musical modes.
Sanguine personalities are usually highly extrovert. When balanced, the sanguine temperament exhibits the following:-
* Cheeriness
* Sociable nature
* Warm personality
* Enthusiastic demeanour
* Optimistic mood
* Friendliness
* Easy going character
When it is unbalanced it leads to :-
* Inability to see things through to the end
* Trouble with time keeping
* Absent mindedness
* A tendency to give friendship or love rather too readily. (Too naive and trusting)
* Flighty
The Lydian mode balances the Sanguine. So, if we want more of those qualities. we should play the Lydian. If, however, we are suffering from "too much Sanguine", (perhaps we have been overdoing the social life a bit, or need to bring ourselves back down to earth), we could play the hypolydian. This mode would also help correct an out-of-balance Sanguine if we have been experiencing too many of the negative Sanguine tendencies.
The Astrology of the Temperaments
According to ancient Greek Astrology, each Temperament is ruled by two planets: One increases the effects of the temperament, and the other decreases them.
The phlegmatic is increased by the SUN and reduced by the MOON;
The choleric is increased by MARS and decreased by MERCURY;
The sanguine is maximised by JUPITER and reduced by VENUS;
And the melancholic is increased by SATURN. The melancholic has no second ruling planet, but we will come to that in a little while.
The Modes and the Planets
There are eight modes but only seven recognized planets in astrology. This is why there is no balancing planet for Saturn in the melancholic humour.
The SUN rules the dorian mode. So, for instance, it is good for waking us up in the morning. The hypodorian, on the other hand, is ruled by the MOON. So it helps with falling asleep. That is why these two modes balance the phlegmatic, which is ruled by both the Sun and Moon.
The phrygian mode is ruled by MARS. Mars, being "warlike," powers the choleric. The hypophrygian, however, is ruled by MERCURY. As Mercury is known as the "messenger", this mode is useful for decreasing the autonomous nature of the Choleric, and replacing it with more communicative styles of leadership.
The Lydian is ruled by JUPITER. Jupiter is the "bringer of jollity", hence the importance of this mode for increasing sanguine tendencies. VENUS, on the other hand, rules the hypolydian. Venus is the Goddess of love. She is therefore connected with much more profound emotions (perhaps we could even say "sadder" emotions) than the flighty preoccupations of the Sanguine. So the hypolydian is good for grounding the sanguine in us.
The Structure of the Modal Scales
The modes can easily be worked out from an ordinary major scale. We will take C major as an example, as there are no black notes in it.
The scale of C major runs like this:
C D E F G A B C
The dorian mode is the same, but starting and finishing on the second note (D). From the therapeutic point of view, we only have one of each note, so it goes:
D E F G A B C
In the same way, the phrygian mode starts on the third note, (E);
The lydian goes from F to E;
And the mixolydian starts from the 5th note (G) and goes up to F.
These four are the "authentic modes". The four "hypo-" modes are called "plagal". These balance their authentic companions, and each starts a 4th below its authentic mode. So, to give an example, the hypodorian starts a 4th below the dorian, on the note ‘A'.
From the point of view of ancient Greek music therapy, all melodies should start on A (the "dynamic middle") and finish on the bottom note of the mode (the "Final"). The note 'A' is the 6th note in the root major, which, is C major in our example. This note corresponds to the SUN. By starting on A, and returning to it often, then ending on the Final, the power of the Sun is drawn down to the planet that rules the mode. For instance, in the Lydian, the solar power (note ‘A') is focused on Jupiter (F, or the 4th of the root major).
If you are on the ball, you will have noticed that the dorian and hypomixolydian are the same, as they are both based on D. But the hypomixolydian is a special mode with a slightly different rule. Hypomixolydian melodies start on A, the same as all the other modes, but they should NOT finish on D! They should finish on the Final of the Mixolydian, which happens to be G.
The hypomixolydian mode is not linked to a planet as such, but is considered to be cosmic - the mode of Heavenly Peace. It is therefore good for all therapeutic purposes, and belongs to the whole Cosmos, (or the "fixed stars" as they were known in ancient times). This mode is used to balance the melancholic humour by counteracting the power of SATURN.
The next article will deal with the last of the Temperaments: the Melancholic. I will also uncover more on the subject of creating modal compositions.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/stress-management-articles/the-pythagorean-musical-modes-the-four-temperaments-and-their-planetary-counterparts-3324607.html
About the Author
Cepheus is a composer, pianist and teacher with an interest in the development of consciousness. He has studied widely in the field of self development, particularly in the application of sound or music to stress related problems.
http://www.innerharmonymodalmusic.co.uk
http://www.honeysucklemusic.co.uk
No comments:
Post a Comment