Hypoaeolian mode

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June 29, 2026

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The Hypoaeolian mode is a Renaissance church mode that corresponds to the natural minor scale. It was named and described by Henricus Glareanus in his 1547 treatise Dodecachordon, which expanded the existing system of church modes. The Hypoaeolian mode, along with the Aeolian mode, had A as its finalis, the tone on which a piece in that mode ends. In modern terms, it is represented as a scale from E to E on the white keys of a piano, with C as its tenor and A as its final.12

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Aeolian mode
…its plagal (lower-range) form, the Hypoaeolian mode, had A as their finalis (the tone on which a piece in a given mode ends). The Ionian mode and its plagal counterpart, the Hypoionian, had their finalis on C. The pitch series of the Ionian mode matches that of the major scale.
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…its plagal (lower-range) form, the Hypoaeolian mode, had A as their finalis (the tone on which a piece in a given mode ends). The Ionian mode and its plagal counterpart, the Hypoionian, had their finalis on C. The pitch series of the Ionian mode matches that of the major scale.
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mode
Gradual emergence of major and minor tonality
The Ionian and Hypoionian modes correspond to the major mode, the Aeolian and Hypoaeolian modes to the “natural” minor mode. The 12 modes…
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The Ionian and Hypoionian modes correspond to the major mode, the Aeolian and Hypoaeolian modes to the “natural” minor mode. The 12 modes…
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Ionian mode
…and its plagal counterpart, the Hypoaeolian mode, had their finalis on A. The pitch series of the Aeolian mode matches that of the natural minor scale.
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…and its plagal counterpart, the Hypoaeolian mode, had their finalis on A. The pitch series of the Aeolian mode matches that of the natural minor scale.
Read More