  We study systematically the open string modes of a general class of BPS
intersections of branes. We work in the approximation in which one of the
branes is considered as a probe embedded in the near-horizon geometry generated
by the other type of branes. We mostly concentrate on the D3-D5 and D3-D3
intersections, which are dual to defect theories with a massive hypermultiplet
confined to the defect. In these cases we are able to obtain analytical
expressions for the fluctuation modes of the probe and to compute the
corresponding mass spectra of the dual operators in closed form. Other BPS
intersections are also studied and their fluctuation modes and spectra are
found numerically.
