"Historical Mindset" -Reply

[Dennis Johnson]

Steve and all,


Sorry if my comments left some impression of a value judgement. Of course
there is room for all of us and all temperaments. The issue was
that players and technicians who have not adjusted to unequal tunings can
not be expected to be attentive to, and will probably not be listening
for, subtle color changes. I firmly believe that with enough exposure and
attention to the listening process these differences can be appreciated by
the audience as well as by the tuner and player for that particular event.
Is that such a bold statement?  Not only would the opposing view
leave us dangerously close to a charge that ultimately we are engaged
in a self indulgent activity, but I personally can testify to this
ability, and know others who can as well.  Granted, I was not talking
about the differences between two closely related Victorian tunings, for
example, but the differences between a Well Temperament and 12et are
obvious, unless perhaps you confine yourself to A maj. or Eb.

Dennis Johnson
St. Olaf College