historical et (Long)

[Billbrpt]

In a message dated 98-03-22 13:23:05 EST, you write:

<< THUS A TEMPERAMENT WHICH MADE CERTAIN INTERVALS PROMINENT BY ITSELF,
INSTEAD OF ALLOWING THE PIANIST TO CONTROL THEIR DYNAMICS, WAS NOT LONGER
WANTED. >>

Again, you believe what you want to believe.  This was a well written response
but it focuses on the very reasons why I have said that it is not important,
necessarily, to find an exact temerament for a specific composer.

ET simply goes too far in neutralizing the sound of the piano.  The more
equalized you get the temperament, the more you completely destroy any
remenants of tonality.  I have long advocated HT's or modern temperaments
based on historical precedents such as my own, Paul Bailey's and Jim Coleman's
(there are others who do this too).  We fully recognize that the modern piano
is not the same as its predecessors but this does not automatically mean that
ET must be the one and only temperament which is appropriate.

There was another solo piano recital last night in Madison with a pianist from
Brazil.  He played a program of Beethoven, Granados, Chopin, Brahms and
Schumann.   All romantic style compositions, mostly in the remote keys, on a
Steinway tuned in 1/7 comma meantone.  All who attended thoroughly enjoyed the
concert.  There were no complaints about anything by either the artist nor the
audience.  One thing again that was truly remarkable about his playing, just
as with last week's artist was how incredibly softly he could and dared to
play, not how loud and fast. 

    During and after the reception, other pianists in the audience played for
another couple of hours until after midnight.  Any and all kinds of music
including modern jazz.  No one sat down and started playing intervals and
banging on the ones they thought were sour.  They all just accepted the tuning
as normal.

You believe what you want to believe and you hear what you want to hear.  I
don't believe that ET is the best temperament for the modern piano and I don't
want to hear one played in it.

Bill Bremmer RPT
Madison, Wisconsin