Hi,

When I was examining the various modes/scales in the pre-defined 'modes library, I noticed that the following modes all have the same interval as 'major scale:

(raga-shankarabharanam mela-shankarabharanam xin ararai rast peruvian-major dastgah-mahur dastgah-rast-panjgah hypolydian-medieval lydian-greek ionian major)

 

In other words, the expression:

(pitch-to-interval (expand-tonality '(c4 <a-mode>)))

returns the same interval list for all the above modes.

 

I can understand that 'ionian' is the same as 'major', but finding the others to be the same as major scale was a bit surprising. Looks like other musical cultures such as India, Iran, Peru, and Ethiopia used the same major scale under a different name.

 

Can anyone throw further light on this coincidence?

 

Regards,

Rangarajan

Indeed, there are many tonality names with the same intervals.