Talk:Bemsha Swing

Phrygian Scale Problem
Music lovers,

What is to be done with a musical analysis that is fundamentally incorrect, and uncited, in a Wikipedia article? The error I reference would be understood as such, by a sophomore student of jazz.

A description of this melody–as being based on the Phrygian scale–poses a problem for anyone who has studied modes as they apply to jazz music. In this song's stock key of C major, the Phrygian–as understood in modern music theory–would contain an Eb. However the melody and chords use E natural, as in bar 4 and in the very first chord of C major.

Although the "church modes" are not truly representative of the original Greek modes, no historical explanations of the Phrygian Mode in the available literature argue for a version encompassing the notes of Bemsha Swing: C E F G Ab Bb. Ergo, the reference to Phrygian mode is misleading if not erroneous.

There are several more informative explanations of the pitch material in Bemsha Swing: that it is in C major, but borrows pitches from C minor or F minor; that it is drawn from the harmonic form of the F minor scale (F, G, Ab, Bb, C, Db, E natural); that it is in mixed mode, specifically that bars 1-2 draw from the key of C minor, G Ab Bb C, but bars 3-4 draw on C major (B C E G); or simply that the descending scale tones are altered, to align with non-diatonic chords.

The Wikipedian problem, of course, is that my argument, while commonly understood, is my own. I can't find an authoritative discussion. Anyone? Must we live with erroneous information in an article? I realize my replacement information is subject to removal under Wikipedia guidelines but I parked it until I can find published information that is just as accurate. justcary (talk) 22:33, 18 November 2017 (UTC)

External links modified
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Cheers.— InternetArchiveBot  (Report bug) 18:28, 17 July 2017 (UTC)