On the Fuzzy Margins of the Definition of “Scale” in Ashkenazi Liturgical Music, and its Role as a Constituent Factor in Unpacking the Theory Behind the Practice

As the process of unpacking the system of Ashkenazi liturgical music unfolds, its constituent components become ever more perceptible. For reasons of historiography—some of which are currently under examination—the term “mode” has always accompanied this process. Further, in this same process, “scale” has been consistently considered a dominant trait of “mode.” What these scales are and their role in defining this system, however, is an ongoing concern. Moreover, this topic has constituted a stumbling block in deciphering the music theory of this practice. The starting point of my discussion is the need to reexamine the concept of “mode” in this tradition, and seek a working definition of the term. In turn, this reassessment stands to shed new light on the role of “scale” in depicting this system and whether or how it helps us understand it. Such examination raises the question as to the point at which what we may identify as “scale” might be so far removed from the core definition that we may no longer identify it as such. The implications of this observation, therefore, reach beyond the specific repertoire at hand, and open up some ontological questions regarding “scale” in general.