Plagal Fourth Mode

"Seal of the tones, O Plagal of the Fourth, as bearing in yourself all fairest sounds. You broaden out the ranges of the songs, the final flourish of the Tones, and end. As limit in both notes and voices’ pitch, limit of sound I call you twice, and end."

- The Paraklitike

Plagal Fourth Mode (sometimes called "Plagal Fourth Tone" or "Tone 8") is one of modes of Byzantine Chant. It is the plagal of Fourth Mode and, like Fourth Mode, is in the diatonic genus. In its most common variants its primary note is Ne, while in some its primary note is a Ga which has been affected by a Ne phthora. Its primary apichema is "Neagie".

Main Variants
There are many common variants and forms of Plagal Fourth Mode. They are outlined below, along with the types of hymns for which they are most commonly used within this mode. Please note that these groupings only apply to hymns specified as being in Plagal Fourth Mode.


 * Eirmologic
 * Fast Eirmologic
 * Plagal Fourth Mode (Fast Eirmologic from Ne)
 * All fast Stichera and fast Theotokia at the Kekregarion and the Praises, as well as fast versions of "Lord, I have cried" and "Let everything that hath breath".
 * The Stichologia
 * Some Idiomela
 * All fast Great Doxologies
 * The Anavathmoi
 * All fast Prokeimena
 * Kontakia set to either the melody "When the bodiless one" or "To thee the Champion Leader"
 * Poetic Kathismata set to the melody "By conceiving the Wisdom"
 * Some Eirmoi of Canons
 * Plagal Fourth Mode "Triphonos"
 * All Apolytikia and Dismissal Theotokia, as well as "God is the Lord" and its Lenten replacement, "Alleluia"
 * Most Kontakia (See above for exceptions)
 * Most Poetic Kathismata (See above for exceptions)
 * Plagal Fourth Mode "Triphonos" (Canons)
 * Most Eirmoi of Canons
 * Slow Eirmologic
 * Plagal Fourth Mode (Slow Eirmologic from Ne)
 * Ne-based Automela Prosomia during vigils
 * Ne-based Katavasiai
 * Plagal Fourth Mode "Triphonos" (Slow)
 * Ga-based Automela and Prosomia during vigils
 * Ga-based Katavasiai
 * Slow "Alleluia"s during Holy Week
 * Kalophonic
 * Plagal Fourth Mode (Kalophonic from Ne)
 * Paraliturgical adaptations of Ne-based Eirmoi
 * Plagal Fourth Mode "Triphonos" (Kalophonic)
 * Paraliturgical adaptations of Ga-based Eirmoi
 * Sticheraric
 * New Sticheraric
 * Plagal Fourth Mode (Sticheraric)
 * Doxastika
 * Most Idiomela
 * Slow Stichera and fast Theotokia at the Kekregarion and the Praises, as well as slow versions of "Lord, I have cried" and "Let everything that hath breath".
 * Koinonika
 * Old Sticheraric
 * Plagal Fourth Mode (Old Sticheraric)
 * Great Prokeimena
 * Especially elaborate versions of the types of hymns normally sung in New Sticheraric.
 * Papadic
 * Plagal Fourth Mode (Papadic)
 * Cheroubika