Historical Temperments

[A440A@AOL.COM]

Greetings, 
  I appreciate the reception to the temperament CD, and I have to agree with
some things,  but the ones I don't, or think need a little more explanation
are below.  
Bill writes:
inre the lack of variety in todays tunings>

>Why?  Largely because of fear, prejudice and bigotry by those who could
>be making such things available.  The people at Steinway, for example, will
>immediately brush the idea off saying, "No artist ever asked for it.  If
>they start asking for it, we'll do it."

     And they will.  If there is truly more beauty in the earlier tunings,
they  will eventually be sought out.  You can't hold back truth and beauty.
Have some faith here.  
 
> The Concert and Artist departments at Yamaha and virtually
>anywhere else operate under the same irrational fears.  

     Yamaha, in the fall '98 issue of Accent, proudly announces the use of
their piano with the historical tuning for Susan Haligan's rendition of the
Diabelli Variations , on a Kirnberger III.   This is emerging factory
recognition and support,  I believe the Yamaha factory is due gratitude and
support from the field, rather than the accustory finger pointing their way.
I applaud their siezing the avante-garde edge, (though I really wish it had
been our CD in a Steinway ad somewhere.........)
 
>Steinway Hall has absolute control over the Julliard School of Music, the
>most
>prestigious in the nation and perhaps the world.  
 
     I don't know that this is  true: I have a natural distrust of conspiracy
theories.  There may be a large influence there, maybe not,  but if there is,
this is good.  We will know where the latest fashion is going. 
   The pace of change at the factory level is expected.  When you have the
reputation of a $100 million company resting on the sound of a piano,  you are
not going to change the tuning philosophy over night!.  It is unrealistic to
expect a large company, which enjoys the weight of tradition, to evolve as
fast as a single individual.  In fact, it is beyond unrealistic.  But once
again,  the rudder has been turned and the boat will follow, but it is a big
boat, and it will take some time.  
      The historical tunings have only been commercially accessible for the
last 6 or 7 years, that is barely time for the musical community to be
awakened to the possiblities of a new field, ( and that is happening).  But it
isn't nearly enough time to alter the status quo. 
     There are far more pianists out there that are aware of temperament now
than there were three years ago.  The internet is bulging with people's
approaches and thoughts.  More and more recording is going to be done with
other temperaments, and we'll all look back and laugh.  
    I am going to swimming in the middle of this in Kansas City this summer. 
Regards, 
Ed Foote