In a message dated 3/31/02 11:33:53 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: >Fred said >Where you will hear the major/minor shift in "Michael From Mountains" >is on these lines: (starts major) "Michael wakes you up with sweets, he takes you up (shift >to minor) streets and the rain comes (return to major) down." >Pardon my ignorance but would a major/minor shift be 'down' and a minor/major >shift 'up' or is it unhelpful or incorrect to think of these changes in >terms of higher/lower? If they WERE up and down respectively, we would >then have a 'downshift' on the word 'up' and an 'upshift' on the word 'down'. >Perhaps Joni's playing games again. >Thanks Fred (I think it was you) for mentioning Norah Jones. What an album! >I also agree with what you say about Pat Metheny, Jaco et al and all the >magic music that came out of those days and those collaborations. >mike in bcn >NP A Remark You Made b Weather Report.
Hi Mike. Even though the third degree of the scale is lowered in minor tonality, and raised in major, I wouldn't necessarily apply "down" and "up" to a major/minor shift, nor a minor/major shift. Joni goes from major to minor on the word "streets," but the melodic line rises up to get there, then falls again to return to major on the word "down." Further complicating matters is that the minor chord in question is based on the fourth degree of the scale in relation to the root of the preceding phrase (F minor, if the first chord is C major). But Joni is a nearly completely intuitive composer, so she goes where her ear tells her to go, which, if the end result is as good as it is in this case, is all that is required. Her ears are very smart. Glad you're digging Norah Jones. Have you heard the new Pat Metheny Group album, Speaking Of Now? I really think you should. Fred NPIMHBYMI (now playing in my head because you mentioned it) A Remark You Made b Weather Report ... does music get more beautiful? No.
