Perfect tuning

[Oorebeek A.]

Del Gittinger writes:

>There seems to be a lot of discussion about who tunes better, etc.  I =
think
>in truth we need to determine just what makes one tuning better than
>another.
>
>Would someone define the perfect piano tuning?

Andr=E9 Oorebeek answers:

Dear colleagues,

In answer to Del Gittingers question, I would like to respond.

I have some thoughts about a perfect tuning. I do not "quite" believe =
in a perfect tuning for several reasons. No 1. "beauty is in the ear =
of the beholder", or as Jim Bryant sais :

>Audiences don't hear the tuning in the same manner the performer does and
>they all hear it differently anyway.
>Jim Bryant (FL)

No 2. A perfect tuning is as, we all know too well, the ultimate =
compromise of giving and taking.
No 3. The final outcome of "high performance tuning" depends totally =
on the "voice quality" of the instrument.
Again I quote Jim Bryant's brilliant remark:

>  The perfect tuning is one that satisfies all the artistic desires of the
>person manipulating the keys, insofar as they can be satisfied with tuning
>alone.

No 4. As "our" modern tempered tuning is but an agreement for the =
time being, it might very well be possible that in another time other =
hearing preferences might change.
This may sound silly to some or "new agy" to others (I stand =
reasonably firm in the Dutch mud with my two feet and I get light =
headed from "new age"), but we should not overlook the different =
scales used on this globe by different peoples.
Some people feel a slight nausea when they are confronted with Middle =
Eastern music because they probably have no musical  listening =
experience, no musical ear for it, and thus, because their listening =
capacity is not tolerant enough, reject Middle Eastern scales.
If we travel on a bit, past the Arab countries, we are then =
encountered by centuries old Indian music. According to what I know =
and understand about the Indian musical culture ( I have had no =
chance to study Musicology, mind you), we can experience a multitude =
of scales, each applied to different compositions, for different =
times of the day. Indian music is of course the cradle of scale =
developments and based on oceans of time.
Again, it might be possible that the traveler opens up his luggage to =
get out the walkman and a tape of House "music" or "Rap". (which is =
fine with me, as long as I don't have to endure it)

We now take a flight to the far East.
Amazing! more different scales, changing from Thailand to China, and =
from Indonesia to the Phillipines.

In other words; scales differ from time to time and from region to =
region, like it or not.
In this perspective we might anticipate an eventual slight change in =
the future.

It also appears, and we have had major discussions about this, that =
even an un-perfect or near perfect tuning can be tolerated on =
condition that the remaining playing qualities are very good or good =
enough to overcome a tuning deficiency.

And lastly, we have to take into considderation the acoustics of the =
space where we listen to the instrument, the immediate changes =
through humidity and temperature and finally, the general state of =
perception of the audience: do they like the performer? is the =
concert hall pleasant?

Taking all these facts into account, I come to the conclusion (for =
the time being) that a perfect tuning is something we aim for...we =
must and we should, if we want to improve our skills and personal =
possibillities.
At a later stadium, when we have gained a awful lot of experience, we =
come closer to perfectness and at the same time excellence becomes =
relative, and not as crucial as before.
In addition to giving our artistic and technical utmost, a direct and =
pleasant contact with the performing pianist does wonders too, which =
shows that we have to be diplomats as well.
What an impossible profession!






Friendly Greetings from:

CONCERT PIANO SERVICE
Andr=E9 Oorebeek
Amsterdam, the Netherlands
email address: oorebeek@euronet.nl

=89 Where Music is no harm can be =89