Tuning pun

[Dennis Johnson]

        I appreciate the pun, and I send this with some hesitation, but I
just can't resist a comment on Bilson. He was also here last fall playing
the new Graf "copy" by Reiger in an all Beethoven recital. He does indeed
push the instrument to its limits, and is obviously an extremely fine
player. My criticism (and what also started some discussion on the earlym
list at the time) is that how does a performer who specializes in
performance on early pianos justify using equal temperament considering all
of the information that is available now to the contrary? The average
listener goes to hear him play thinking (and for good reason) that this
must be as close to the "authentic" Mozart or Beethoven that we can get. I
don't loudly object to 20th century tuning on a modern piano for 18th and
19th century music, but it is completely inappropriate for a musician of
his caliber, status and example (as a teacher) to be so disinterested in
this profoundly effective element of authentic musical interpretation on
period instruments.
        This situation is even compounded by the fact that he tunes it himself.
I am glad that he has a basic understanding of the tuning process, with
which he can tune at home. Concert tuning however, for paying customers,
should be left to the professionals.
        I don't really mean to start up anything about historical
temperaments, (which is easy for me to do) but what is worse than a sloppy,
instable equal?  An appropriate tuning is such a small and simple step to
complete the package after purchasing a $30,00+ fortepiano, and bringing in
an "expert" in authentic performance to play it. I feel that at least he
owes some worthy qualification for his choice of 20th century tuning on
early 19th instruments in "period" performances, but we get nothing. And
the observation that most people in the audience probably wouldn't know the
difference anyway, entirely misses the point.

        The word is that Bilson liked that Reiger so much that he is
negotiating to come back and record some Beethoven on that piano, and
naturally, in equal temperament.


        Thanks, I'll shut up now.



Dennis Johnson
St. Olaf College