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I was raised, as were many American schoolchildren, to make the quick musical distinction that "major" is happy and "minor" means sad. But like a bee to nectar, I have always been attracted to the savory tones of the haunting minor modes. When I play these kinds of tunes, my soul and the souls of many others echo as they are drawn to the "dulcet tones" of the dulcimer, and the vibrant reverberations in their own souls. Minor ModesMinor modes are hauntingly beautiful and can be devilishly confusing! While major mode tunes tend to behave in generally expected ways, minor mode tunes can take several different shapes. However, many minor tunes live in the classical modes, or a patterned series of whole and half steps. Since the mountain dulcimer is a modal instrument, which has all the modes present all the time on all the strings, I believe it is perfectly suited for minor mode tunes. (See more about minor modes at the end of this article: Minor Modes Explained) Minor Modes and ChristmasMost people's first association with the season and celebrations of Christmas is of warmth and happiness, moods not usually associated in American culture with minor modes. However, several minor mode tunes are often of a contemplative nature which can match the many moons and moods of wintertime. And to my surprise, most of the tunes associated with the early American celebrations of Christmas are in minor modes. Fourteen years ago my wife gave me two Christmas gifts that sparked my inquiry into this endeavor: The International Book of Carols edited by Walter Ehret and George K. Evans, and American Folk Songs for Christmas compiled and edited by Ruth Crawford Seeger. The first contained several of the beloved carols that I had come to know and love from English and German-influenced celebrations of Christmas in my childhood, as well as many more from various foreign lands. Several of the latter (especially from France and Spain) are in minor modes. American Folk Songs for Christmas contained a great many songs and carols I had never known, but which had been the center of earlier American traditions of Christmas celebration. As I began to try and play these on my mountain dulcimer, I found in the second book many tunes in minor keys and modes. Like many dulcimer players, I felt stymied and confused when first facing these tunes. But they were so beautiful! So I set myself on a path to make these tunes playable on my dulcimer and then collected them in a 3rd Volume in the Dulcimer-Friendly Worship series entitled 'Twas in the Moon of Wintertime: Christmas in a Mellow Mode. The goal of this collection is to present these very beautiful, all-minor mode Christmas tunes (often overlooked by other dulcimer collections) in a manner accessible to both kinds of dulcimer players--mountain and hammered. I want to give players an opportunity to live in minor tonalities, experience some different tunings and grow in their musicianship, as well as nurture a new side of their souls. History of Lyrics and Tune'Twas in the Moon of Wintertime, from French to Huron, to French to English! I've chosen to share one with you one of the oldest North American carols for its beauty, its history and its elegance. This carol, the title of my book and recording, is one that is found in several hymnal collections as well as The International Book of Carols. Its text is the earliest Canadian carol in existence. Its words were written in the Huron Indian language by Father Jean de Brebeuf (1593-1649), a French Jesuit missionary to the Iroquois and Huron tribes of Canada. Fr. Brebeuf no doubt knew the power of singing a message and fit the whole Christmas story into the carol so it could be sung by his congregation. It was probably sung among the Hurons from 1641-1649 until the Iroquois invaded and tortured the tribe and Fr. Brefeuf to death. Some Hurons escaped and scattered. A century later, Father de Villeneuve (1747-1794) was stationed at Loretter when he heard the carol still being sung and wrote it down, then translated it into French, and it was sung in Quebec. Paul Picard, an Indian notary, also translated it into French, and his translation first appeared in Ernest Myrands' Noel Ancienes de la Nouvelle France (1879) (lit. Ancient Noels from New France). The English translation, by Jesse Edgar Middleton (Canadian poet, novelist, playwright and historian,1872-1960), is more of an interpretation, coming from Huron via French and adapted to fit this melody. Middleton, born in Ontario, worked as a school teacher and journalist, in addition to serving as a choirmaster in Toronto for nearly forty years. As a part of the chorus, Middleton retained the phrase from Old Latin, "In excelsis gloria!" (lit. 'glory in the highest'--from the angel's song to the shepherds). This mixing of languages is not uncommon in carols, which were originally accompaniment for circular dances before they became popular as songs inside the church walls. The tune, "Une Jeune Pucelle" (lit. 'a young maiden, or virgin') is a sixteenth century French folk song which is closely related to the German tune, "Von Gott Will Ich Nicht Lassen" (lit. 'from God I will not leave'). It served as the basis for organ noëls composed by Louis-Claude Daquin (1694-1772), French harpsichordist, organist, and composer of keyboard music, and Nicholas BeBegue (1631-1702). RecordingThe recording of this melody is the title track from my recording, "'Twas in the Moon of Wintertime." This track features a trio composed of a standard mountain dulcimer and a bass mountain dulcimer, both tuned DAC, and a hammered dulcimer. (Both dulcimers really CAN play well together!) Listen to Steve play "'Twas in the Moon of Wintertime"
Playing the TuneTuning Instructions: fret the bass string at the 4th fret and tune the middle string to this note (A). Fret the bass string at the 6th fret and tune the melody string(s) to this note (Cn [natural]). I've found this tune behaves in a squirrelly way--in most hymnal collections in the 3rd measure of the third line, the tune has a Cn, while in Ehret & Evans' collection it is a C#. I've added an ossia measure directly below the third staff of the score, which gives the alternate notation and fret numbers. In this recording, I play it both ways at different times. This tune also requires a low Bb, which on a standard dulcimer (no extra frets beyond 6-1/2) requires that the player "bend" the bass string at the 4th fret to get this note. While bending the bass string at the 4th fret I pluck the note and then relax my finger and let the string return to its normal location for the An note. (See photo illustrations A & B.)
Finally, this arrangement of the tune has the melody spread across all three strings and can help the player become more comfortable with playing minor mode songs on the dulcimer. I believe, as you strum and pluck this tune during this season, that you, too, will be enveloped in the wonder of the moon of wintertime, and entranced by the rich minor-mode echoes in your soul!   Minor Modes ExplainedAeolian and Dorian modes are considered minor because each has flatted the third step of the scale. In the key of D this means that instead of having an F#, they both have an Fnatural. (See illustration below. The small-case 'd' indicates the repeated note in the higher octave.)
For mountain dulcimer players, with fixed frets, to play these modes means that one must start the scale at a new fret in order to play the notes required by the tune and its mode. The Aeolian mode begins at the 1st fret and (skipping the 6-1/2 fret) goes through the 8th fret.
The Dorian mode begins at the 4th fret and (skipping the 6+ fret) goes through the 11th fret.
A note of caution: When playing on the middle string in either tuning, avoid the 4th fret which has an F#. By the same token, when playing on the bass string, avoid the 2nd fret for the same reason. This note is the one that is NOT present in either mode. Now, in order for the drones to match the scale chosen, the player must re-tune the instrument. A typical tuning for the Aeolian mode is 1-5-b7 or DAC, which results in the Aeolian mode of D with matching drones (D and A). Now the player has the Cn on the melody string(s) below the first step of the scale. A typical tuning for the Dorian mode is 1-5-4 or DAG, which results in the Dorian mode of D with matching drones (D and A). Now the player has several steps of the scale below the first step of the scale on the melody string(s), including the Cn at the third fret. About the Author
Steve Eulberg built his first dulcimer from a FolkRoots kit in 1980 and now plays several McSpadden dulcimers, a 5-string dulcimer and a "ban-jammer" (dulcimer-banjo cross) built by Mike Clemmer and a "Dulci-bro" (dulcimer-dobro cross) built by Don Neuhauser. He is the author of the 3 volumes in the Dulcimer-Friendly Worship series and enjoys playing, arranging and researching the history of folk music, both sacred and secular. Steve teaches from his private studio in Fort Collins, Colorado, where he lives with his family. He is the Director of Music at the Lutheran Campus Ministry at Colorado State University, where his spouse is the pastor. Four times he was won prizes at the National Flatpicking Championships (Winfield, KS) in the mountain dulcimer contest, and is busy teaching and performing on the festival circuit."'Twas in the Moon of Wintertime," his instrumental recording of minor mode tunes from the Christmas season, was nominated in two categories on the first 2003 Grammy ballot. His music has been featured on NPR's "Open Stage" and used as "buttons" for the NPR broadcasts, has been played on United Airline's Inflight Audio, and is currently featured in the soundtrack of PBS's "RoadTrip Nation.". Steve also is the owner of Owl Mountain Music, Inc. through which he records, produces and publishes music. He can be reached at www.owlmntnmusic.com. Bibliography Dearmer, Percy; Williams, R. Vaughn, and Shaw, Martin. The Oxford Book of Carols. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 1964. First published 1928. Ehret, Walter, and Evans, George K. The International Book of Christmas Carols. Illustrations by Don Martinetti, Foreword by Norman Luboff. Ft. Lauderdale, FL: Walton Music Corporation, 1963, 1980. Keyte, Hugh & Parrott, Andrew, eds. The New Oxford Book of Carols. Associate editor, Clifford Bartlett. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992, 1998. McKim, LindaJo H. The Presbyterian Hymnal Companion. Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1993. Seeger, Ruth Crawford. American Folk Songs for Christmas. Illustrated by Barbara Cooney. New York, et al: Oak Publications, 1953. Stulken, Marilyn Kay. Hymnal Companion to the Lutheran Book of Worship. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1981. Young, Carlton R. Companion to the United Methodist Hymnal. Nashville: Abingdon, 1993. |
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