Temperament, A pianist responds

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Inre 2nd mvt. Beethoven's Op. 90, David writes: 
>>But this movement is characterized by

rich sonorities and a tranquillity which stands in contrast to the frenetic

first movement.  Beethoven's instructions at the opening tell the player to

pay attention to this.  He wants you to enjoy the harmonies.  The character

of that movement stands in stark contrast to the character of E major in WT,

at least to my ear.   A WT E major may be perfectly suitable for some pieces, 
but not for that one.

Thus the suggestion that the piece was conceived based on the nature of WT's

is not congruous, at least to me.>>

    
Enid replies to this, 
"The first movement 
of the Beethoven HE may experience as frenetic but Beethoven says, 
"With animation and with feeling and expression throughout." 
     Beethoven says that the 2nd movement is to be played, "singingly". Just 
because 
the harmonies are "active" doesn't mean that it cannot give one an 
experience of "singingness". In fact, just for that very reason, to my 
ear, it becomes ever so much more emotion-laden. "Tranquil" is HIS (D.Love's) 
word. 
 
    Are we to believe that Beethoven was oblivious to the character of this 
key?  I think a far more supportable reason would be his familiarity with the 
harmonic character to be found there.  As Enid said,  "The dissonance is not 
necessarily harshness,  it can also a measure of expressiveness". 
   

>>As far as my view that choosing a WT over ET imposes one's personal taste,

here I observe a philosophical difference in what I consider to be my role

as a piano technician.  Choosing a style of tuning which gives each key a

distinct character, like it or not, places greater interpretive importance

on the technician than should be there. <<

       Says who?   If a technician feels that way, then ET is the perfect 
choice for them.  It doesn't require decision making from a musical 
standpoint, at all.  It is (or has been) a safe refuge from critique.  But at 
a cost that is becoming known to an increasing number of pianists.  Good or 
bad, this is progress.    
    Choosing a style of tuning that we know wasn't available to the author 
is, in effect, creating a transcription.  Removing the tonal contrasts that 
Beethoven decided upon when he used the key of E is a lot closer to 
"re-interpreting" than using a tuning of his time.  
     

 >> When one or the other begins to notice the tuning as something

"other" or when the ripe character of a WT F# is inappropriate, then it

breaks that tenuous connection and I have allowed my lack of skill or my ego

to interfere with the relationship between the artist and his/her audience.

Then, I have not done my job.<< 

     The " tenuous connection" is far less tenuous when there is more 
emotional rapport, and I have found the WT's create this greater interaction 
between performer and audience as well as between performer and instrument.  
   If a tuner sees his job as maximizing the musical experience, then all 
alternatives must be considered.  If the tuner sees his job as making 
everything as safe as possible,  then only ET will do.  I am not sure what 
"lack of skill and ego" have to do with any of this. 
     We all take our choices and choosing safety over daring is not what 
Beethoven did or was known for.  I still say that Beethoven  knew what he was 
doing, and his compositions take maximum advantage of the resources found in 
his era's tuning, not ours.   
Regards, 
Ed Foote