Aeolian mode

Is there any more passionate color within the minor tonaliy than the Aeolian
group? Although not historically recognized as one of the true, ancient
Greek or Medieval church modes ( just too powerful perhaps ...? ), the
Aeolian mode is today not only at the center of the minor tonal universe
within the equal tempered system but potentially dates way further back
than the Greeks of antiquity. Really? Yep. Got proof?
So much of the music we love is created with this ancient group of pitches.
Commonly referred to as the relative or natural minor within the major /
minor dichotomy of the equal tempered system, the Aeolian mode provides
the other half of our musical foundation, balancing the joyous and uplifting
major tonal environment with the humbled, more somber and darkly
passionate minor coloring. Theoretically, the relative major and minor
colors are created by the same group of pitches, it is in the intervalic
relationship between the pitches that creates the two distinct colors and
environments.
So why is the Aeolian mode so important? Well, like all of the modes
discussed, its origins potentially go back thousands of years, so folks have
been creating melodies with it for a long time. For many players it is the
center of their creative musical universe and resources, and as such,
provides the basis of how they view the musical world. There are societal
aspects within America that drive artists towards certain elements to express
their ideas and tell their stories. Not all of these stories are joyous or have
happy endings, but the story must be told none the less. The Aeolian mode
and its variations can become the sounds to tell the sadder story. There is a
tremendous power in the minor tonal environment not limited to expressing
the everyday world of experience we live in, but to the spiritual world
beyond, which as human beings we have the thinking capacity to
contemplate and recreate in our music. Hear the sound of this Aeolian group
of pitches. Example 1.
Sound familiar? Cool. Here is a chart of the intervals used to create central
color. Example 2.

scale
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
degree
interval
major minor perfect perfect minor minor
from root octave
2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th
root
Aeolian
mode A B C D E F G A
pitches

A key aspect of the Aeolian mode and the minor tonality is in its ability to
"balance" the emotional content of the major tonality within the same piece
of music. Theorists commonly refer to this pairing as relative major /
relative minor. Pairing the two tonalities together in one piece could very
well provide the ultimate "Ying and Yang" for telling our tales of human
experience. Hear the transition. Example 3.

A minor C major
This shifting between the tonalities goes both ways of course, from minor to
major as well as major to minor. Although Ive never been, there are stories
told of a tradition in New Orleans, Louisiana where the jazz musicians
would help to "escort a beloved" to their final resting place with their jazz
music. On the way to the internment, their music would be somber, humble
and reflective of the toils of our day to day world and how we interact with
one another. Once these ceremonies were completed, the return passage of
the players back to the "world of life" would be articulated in the joyous
nature of their music. I think some of the music for this important ceremony
comes down to us today as "Dixieland Jazz", and that maybe the duality of
the ceremony is reflected in our major / minor tonality of our equal
tempered system. I believe. Here are a few titles of jazz standards that
combine the two tonalities in one composition.

title composer tonality

Autumn Leaves J. Mercer relative minor / relative major
Greensleeves traditional relative minor / relative major
Here's That Rainy Day J. Van Heusen minor to major
In a Sentimental Mood Duke Ellington minor to major
My Favorite Things R. Rodgers relative minor / relative major
My Funny Valentine Rogers / Hart relative minor / relative major
Nicas Dream H. Silver relative minor / relative major
Round About Midnight T. Monk minor to major
Summertime G. Gershwin relative minor / relative major
Needless to say this listing is just the beginning, but most of these titles are
callable at most jazz sessions, oftentimes requested at work and are classic
jazz standards. Here is a chart spelling out the pitches of the Aeolian mode
from each of the 12 pitches of the chromatic scale. Example 4.

C Aeolian C D Eb F G Ab Bb C
F Aeolian F G Ab Bb C Db Eb F
Bb Aeolian Bb C Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb
Eb Aeolian Eb F G Ab Bb Cb Db Eb
G# Aeolian G# A# B C# D# E F# G#
C# Aeolian C# D# E F# G# A B Db
F# Aeolian F# G# A B C# D E F#
B Aeolian B C# D E F# G A B
E Aeolian E F# G A B C D E
A Aeolian A B C D E F G A
D Aeolian D E F G A Bb C D
G Aeolian G A Bb C D Eb F G

Here is the sound of each of the groups from the above chart. Example 5.

C Aeolian

F Aeolian
Bb Aeolian

Eb Aeolian

G# Aeolian
C# Aeolian

F# Aeolian

B Aeolian
E Aeolian

A Aeolian

D Aeolian
G Aeolian

Got these groups under your fingers? Same pitches as Dorian, Phrygian ...
all of the 7 modes eh?

Where to next?
review new ideas

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though
nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a
miracle." Albert Einstein