Rethinking Musical Mode

Rethinking Musical Mode revisits and expands Harold Powers' seminal conceptualization of musical mode as a continuum between "scale" and "fixed melody," addressing the gap between theoretical frameworks and performance realities across global musical traditions. This volume centers performer perspectives, exploring how musicians theorize, practice, and adapt modal systems in diverse cultural contexts. Originating from the 2021 symposium at the Institute for Ethnomusicology, University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, the contributions critically engage questions of aesthetics, tacit knowledge, and the interplay between theory and practice. By integrating insights from performers, scholars, and practitioners, this collection offers a fresh dialogue on the dynamic intersections of modal theory and practice.