Would any of you theorists/historians know the origin of the Hungarian major/minor scales? I've been working through them lately and they're blowing my mind. Can't wait to get to their modes! Thanks.

JS

Scales = modes, after all, Ionian is just the major scale. I believe the scales/modes you are referring to originate from Hungarian folk music.

I'd check out Bela Bartok for more info. Besides being one of the greatest composers of the 20th century, Bartok was an ethnomusicologist and spent many years transcribing Hungarian folk songs. He published his efforts and also used the modes in his compositions.

Another source is the many CD's that have been released in the past 15 years or so by the Mysterious Voices Of Bulgaria. They share many modes with Hungarian music.