The Dorian mode corresponds to the white keys from D to D. It is minor in inclination (a minor third), but its sixth degree is raised, giving the sound a lighter, “less sad” shade than the natural minor. This duality makes the Dorian mode very expressive.
The Dorian mode is extremely common in European folk music, Celtic tunes, and also in jazz and rock (the famous Dorian improvisations). In Ukrainian folklore, Dorian turns are heard in many lyrical and ritual songs. A special Ukrainian colour is the Hutsul mode (Dorian with an additionally raised fourth degree), which gives Carpathian music its unmistakable sharp, archaic sound. The Dorian mode is a bridge between minor longing and bright openness.
