[CAUT] temperament for Schubert

[Israel Stein]

> Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:36:56 -0800 "David Love" <davidlovepianos at comcast.net> wrote:
>
> Along these lines my experience suggests that non equal temperaments sound
> best on lower tension scales where the upper partials are not so prominent.
> Historical instruments, not surprisingly, have very low tension scales when
> compared to the modern piano.  In spite of the fact that the plucked
> harpsichord with the use of a plectrum instead of a hammer tends to excite
> the higher partials proportionately more than a hammer would on the same
> instrument, the fundamental tone is still quite dominant.  I wonder whether
> the move away from non equal temperaments in the modern era doesn't have
> something to do with the ever increasing scale tensions that have taken
> place during the same time.  In this respect, I find the imposition of non
> equal temperaments on modern instruments to be less pleasing than on their
> historical counterparts.    
>   
David,

I have actually heard this cited as one of the factors in the move from 
WT to ET. There are others:
1. Greater dependence by composers dynamics for expression rather than 
key choice, made possible by the greater dynamic range of higher tension 
instruments
2. Larger performance venues with the rise of subscription concerts, 
supplanting homes of the nobility, drawing rooms and salons. Subtleties 
of temperament are therefore less audible.
3. Shift in audiences from nobility to the rising bourgeoisie. While men 
and women of the nobility often received extensive musical training and 
were capable of appreciating the subtleties of temperament - children of 
the bourgeoise merely aped habits of the nobility (hence "subscription 
concerts - they couldn't afford music in their homes). These 
"arrivistes" rarely had the sort of musical education previously given 
to nobles - and therefore were less sophisticated audiences, not capable 
of appreciating the subtleties of temperament.
4. Greater inharmonicity that results from greater string tension tends 
to fuzz the subtleties of unequal temperament.

That's all I can remember right now. I believe there is more.

Israel Stein