"Historical Mindset"

Dennis Johnson johnsond@STOLAF.EDU
Wed, 21 Jan 1998 09:25:07 -0600 (CST)



To all,

There frequently are comments about how interesting it is that often the
audience, players, and yes, even technicians seem to not be able to tell
if a piano was, or was not, tuned to equal temperament. The issue is not
so much if one *can* hear the difference, but rather if one has learned
how to listen, and what to listen for. These differences are obvious once
one has become accustomed to the language. My point is that if we do a
comparison test with random technicians and players and their
identification skills seem to suggest a more or less random- or indecisive
result between the tunings, perhaps that says more about this particular
audience and the degree of their exposure and sensitivity to the unique
colors of temperament possibilities, then it makes some sort of objective
statement about real differences as can be perceived by the audience in
concert.

Perhaps that was sort of the message trying to be made, but it was
not clear to me.


Dennis Johnson
St. Olaf College



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