church mode

American  

noun

Music.

1. a mode belonging to a codified system of modes in use in Gregorian chant and in other music to c1600.

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church mode British  

noun

1. music a less common name for mode

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Etymology

Origin of church mode

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

In this case, the scales used are the same as the medieval church modes, but they do not have a reciting tone and are used much more like modern major and minor scales.

From Literature

The church modes, like their Greek forerunners, were ascribed certain moods, and a great deal of theoretical energy was expended over hundreds of years describing their effect and their best possible application.

From Literature

Abandoning the idea and becoming absorbed in a passion for ecclesiastical music he went to Berlin to study the ancient church modes.

From Project Gutenberg

While the tonality is still vague, like that of the church modes, the music itself is thoroughly chordal in character, and evidently planned with reference to the direct expression of the text.

From Project Gutenberg

Debussy, through his appreciation of the living value of the old church modes, has been enabled to shape for himself a manner of utterance which derives from none of these influences.

From Project Gutenberg