Plagal First Mode

"Mournful you are and greatly pitying, but for the most part rhythmically you dance. O mind, which art with music has informed, which is the bent oblique of plagal tones? Rank holds you fifth, but first of the unique, and calls you so, O Plagal of the First."

- The Paraklitike

Plagal First Mode (sometimes called "Plagal First Tone" or "Tone 5") is one of modes of Byzantine Chant. It is the plagal of First Mode, and like it, is in the diatonic genus. In some of its variants its main note is Pa, and in others the main note is Ke. Its apichema is "Aneanes".

Main Variants
There are many common variants and forms of Plagal First 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 First Mode.


 * Eirmologic
 * Fast Eirmologic
 * Plagal First Mode (Fast Eirmologic from Ke)
 * 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".
 * Some Idiomela
 * All fast Great Doxologies
 * The Anavathmoi
 * All Prokeimena
 * Kontakia and Apolytikia
 * All Poetic Kathismata except those to the melody "The soldiers standing guard"
 * All Eirmoi of Canons except for the first two (Odes 1 and 3) of the Canon for the Ascension
 * Plagal First Mode "Tetraphonos"
 * The Stichologia
 * ''The first two stases of the Encomia
 * ''The Aftomelon "Rejoice"
 * ''The first two Eirmoi (Odes 1 and 3) of the Canon for the Ascension
 * Slow Eirmologic
 * Plagal First Mode (Slow Eirmologic)
 * Automela and Prosomia during vigils
 * Katavasiai
 * Kalophonic
 * Plagal First Mode (Kalophonic)
 * Paraliturgical adaptations of Eirmoi
 * Sticheraric
 * New Sticheraric
 * Plagal First 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 First Mode (Old Sticheraric)
 * Especially elaborate versions of the types of hymns normally sung in New Sticheraric.
 * Papadic
 * Plagal First Mode (Papadic)
 * Cheroubika