Modality in string quartets: An analysis of Firanghiz Ali-Zadeh's String Quartet No.3 "Mugamsayagi" in terms of modality

In music history, the concepts of modality and tonality have always played an important role in composers' search for expression and in the development of compositional techniques. Modality, in particular, should be considered not only as an element unique to Western music, but also as a universal musical phenomenon that has emerged in various forms in traditional music systems around the world. Modal systems, which have evolved through many stages, from Ancient Greece to Medieval church music, the Renaissance and the Romantic period, have acquired new meanings within the modern understanding of music and have begun to be reinterpreted in the works of contemporary composers. Modes are not only theoretical patterns used in the construction of melodic and harmonic structures, but also a concept that addresses the essence of musical narrative. Each mode has its own distinctive characteristics, cultural origins and aesthetic effects. In this context, modality plays an important role both in the universal language of music and in the preservation and reconstruction of local music cultures. Against this historical and cultural backdrop, classical music forms such as string quartets have been seen as one of the most fertile grounds for the multifaceted use of modal structures. The string quartet form, which has come to the fore in the classical music repertoire since the 18th century with a developed form of expression, has gradually become a field where modes have found an active place, not limited to tonal understanding. The use of modal elements has been one of the most important tools for composers who want to include traditional sounds in their works. Azerbaijani composer Firanghiz Ali-Zadeh stands out among contemporary composers who make intensive use of modal elements in the characteristic structure of their works. In this study, the composer's String Quartet No. 3 – Muğamsayağı is taken as the central object of analysis and the work is comprehensively analysed from the perspective of modality. As the title of the work suggests, Ali-Zadeh drew inspiration from the muğam tradition, one of Azerbaijan's traditional music genres. The melodic structure of muğams closely resembles modes in terms of their form of expression, and in this respect, they can be considered modal music. In this context, the modal structures in the work Muğamsayağı were analysed within the framework of the research, and the meaning of the work in terms of modality was revealed through a multidimensional approach, using both musical examples and relevant recordings in the analysis process.