Major/Minor why did these prevail over the other modes?

[samsome]

Major/Minor why did these prevail over the other modes?

Thanks

[fev]

There are probably far better educated people here who can give a better answer or correct me but my understanding is as follows:

With the major scale it's pretty simple.

1. The major triad (in just intonation) is naturally present in the harmonic overtone series.
2. The most pleasing intervals are generally the perfect 5th and perfect 4th.
3. If you stack the 1st, 4th and 5th major triads you get the full major scale.

The major scale has therefore become the default and standard rather than any other scale or mode simply because it makes the most "sense" and has the "purest" sound.

The minor scale is a bit more esoteric.

In my opinion it is generally more appealing than the major scale because it has some edge and is not "pure" or "perfect."

If you think in terms of leading tones, like how the 7th degree of a scale points to the root, I see the minor scale as kind of a shadow or reflection that points to the major scale without resolving to it.

It is kind of like that old jazz cliche of "listen to the notes he's NOT playing man!"

The minor scale strongly suggests and implies the "purity" of the major scale while completely subverting it.