Ionian Mode
Preserved but no longer current.
A species of mediaeval church music in the key of C major, in imitation of the ancient Greek mode so called. It was the last of the "authentic" church modes, and corresponded to the modern major diatonic scale. Cp. GREGORIAN.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Ionian Mode” mean?
A species of mediaeval church music in the key of C major, in imitation of the ancient Greek mode so called. It was the last of the "authentic" church modes, and corresponded to the modern major diatonic scale. Cp. GREGORIAN.
Is “Ionian Mode” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.