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Compiling global examples of music in the Aeolian Scale

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1-2-b3-4-5-b6-b7

(C-D-E^b-F-G-A^b-B^b)

o • o o • o • o o • o • o

• Aeolian Scale: Sounds •

Real-world examples of the scale in action:

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• General: While most national anthems are Major, some follow the Aeolian instead: including those of Azerbaijan, Iraq, Israel, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Romania, Slovakia, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Ukraine (whereas Pakistan’s modulates from Major to Minor halfway through: also see Bill Bailey’s hilarious Major-to-Minor rework of The Star Spangled Banner).

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• India: Equivalent to Asavari thaat, one of Hindustani music’s 10 ‘foundational scales’: itself named after Raag Asavari, an ancient form depicted in medieval ragmala paintings as a female snake-charmer (n.b. some forms of Asavari are Phrygian-congruent instead). Other matches include Darbari (‘the Emperor of Ragas, and the Raga of Emperors’), Adana, and Kaunsi Kanada. The scale is also known in South Indian Carnatic music as Natabhairavi (melakarta scale #20) – listen to compositions by Thyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar.

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—T (origin)—

Artist (inst)

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Q

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• Aeolian Scale: More •

Features, classifiers, quirks, etc…

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[analysis: coming soon]

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—Classifiers & Quirks—

• Modes: Major set (Major; Dorian; Phrygian; Lydian; Mixolydian; Aeolian; Locrian)
• Quirks: Hemitonic; Maximal; Reflectional symmetry (imperfect: ♮2; detached: none)
• Names: Natural Minor, Aeolian (Western); Asavari thaat (Hindustani); Natabhairavi (Carnatic); Mogen Ovos (Klezmer); Maqam Nahawand (Arabic/Turkish)

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n.b. For more detailed geometric and mathematical analysis, refer to this scale’s entry in Ian Ring’s fantastic Exciting Universe of Music Theory project (for which I am an occasional ‘raga consultant’)

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