>Actually I would really rather ask that than state it, as I am not an >orchestra player, execpt for percussion, and even that is limited to only >one semester. So adjust their intonation from what? Instrumentalists constantly adjust their intonation to each other. In larger groups, sans piano, there is more standardization to, e.g. ET, particularly as the last generation of kids have had "tuning to the strobe box" beaten into them in the public schools, instead of being taught to listen to themselves and each other (admittedly it is fraught with peril to listen to your other novice neighbors in a middle school or high school orchestra). String quartets are very enlightening to observe. Get some recordings of some excellent quartets, Guarneri, Turtle Island, e.g. and listen to how they adjust to each other. I read a marvelous article about string intonation and adaptation by the Turtle Island crew many years back. The range of pitches per 'note' which they used as appropriate was eye opening. There was considerable discussion of making decisions for playing the relative intervals in a chord distributed amongst the instruments. The conundrum of piano tuning choices was all there in their dynamic decisions. Dynamic, though, is a deceptive word, as in rehearsals these decisions were made, and discussed when unsatisfactory. > Your observation about "keyboard continuo" is something I would >like to >learn more about. This has been mentioned before, but sometimes complex >concepts take time and explanation to to be comprehended. . Is keyboard >continuo the sound of the harpsichord in baroque music such as Vivaldi, >"The four Seasons"? Is the part the harpsichord is playing called >continuo? Were there "rules" that defined this part? Yes, yes. Also continuo was notated for piano, e.g. through the tuttis in Beethoven's concertos. The rules were: (grossly simplified) stick to the base line, play above withing the notated harmonies, complement, decorate, and be a good rhythm section, a structural frame. >If you listen to the harpsichord and the orchestra, how much does it >really sound in tune? It seems that some places aren't so good as others. >Is it the players, is it me, is it the tonality of plucked iron strings >played against bowed strings? Is that why it is kept in the back ground >so much? No, it's because recording engineers use traditional recording methods which don't work for small orchestras with a continuo harpsichord! The art of recording the harpsichord is just recently getting somewhere. Of course, the relatively tonality will not always be "perfect". In rapid sections, it won't matter. In slow, chordal passages, it will. >There is something called Thorough Bass. Does this have anything do do >with the harpsichord? See the bass line discussion, continuo playing above. Too much to discuss on this list. >>What is contrapuntal? Counter melodies, or the same melody, played in different voices, often staggered, as opposed to a single melody line with purely harmonic accompaniment. > One last note on tuning, isn't there a statement in Bach's WTC that >they >can all be played without retuning? Does that mean harpsichordists retuned >for certain keys when not playing in the temperament of WTC? Wouldn't they >also retune for orchestras? > >Richard Moody Yes, yes. Though generally one planned one's pieces so only minimal retuning might be necessary, e.g. putting in Ab's instead of G#'s. Anne Anne Beetem Harpsichords & Historic Pianos 2070 Bingham Ct. Reston, VA 20191 abeetem@wizard.net
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