more on this temperament tangent

[Tom Servinsky]

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  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Billbrpt@AOL.COM=20
  To: pianotech@ptg.org=20
  Sent: Friday, November 02, 2001 9:37 AM
  Subject: Re: more on this temperament tangent


  In a message dated 11/2/01 8:15:08 AM Central Standard Time, =
Tvak@AOL.COM=20
  writes:=20



    Orchestral music is played in just intonation.  Each player =
constantly tunes=20
    his instrument adjusting each note.=20


  If this were true, orchestras would sound like a glass harmonica.=20
  <Huh?=20
   If you define Just Intonation as the 3rd and 5ths being pure, =
Orchestras, in fact, are strongly influenced byJust Intonation. They =
don't utlitlize Just Intonation in the same way a keyboard would be =
tuned, but they do have strong similarities.

  >.
  It's time to pull out your Harvard Music Dictionary  and start reading =
the definitions of Just Intonation, Temperament, Equal Temperament, and =
Well-Temperament  carefully.=20
  >Start with Just Intonation. Just Intonation in an orchestra tuning =
should not be confused with the hazzards of Just Intonation tuning for a =
keyboard. The definition of Just Intonation states it is a theoretical =
system of tuning in which the 3rds and 5ths  remain pure, in which all =
other intervals derive from....". That being said,orchestras are deeply =
influenced byJust Intonation as the accepted way to play the 3rd, 5th, =
and octave .  Regardless of the work, be it a Verdi opera, Rossini =
overture, or Stravinksy's Firebird, influences of Just Intonation are =
throughout. As a perfermer in the wind section play a beating 3rd in a =
slow movement you might as well kiss your job good bye. If 2 clarients =
are playing in octaves, they better be absolutely pure. Same with the =
3rds or 5ths.
  Temperament
  Undoubtebly,composers have been and will always be influenced by =
temperament.  Most have been conditioned  by the very fact that most =
write their works from the keyboard. Not necessarily for the keyboard, =
but through the keyboard. Think of the1000's of hrs. spent composing a =
major symphony while slaving over a pianoforte tuned in WT, or today on =
a Steinway D tuned in ET. The examples are too obvious where temperament =
of the day influenced the style of writing.  It's analogus to computers =
and software programers. Programers are influenced and restricted by the =
operating system of that computer. Someone working with Windows will =
obviously be influenced the constraints and characteristics of that =
system. Someone working with DOS, MAC systems will be conditioned =
differently.
  Composers living during the Baroque period were obviously  influenced =
by the early temperaments.

  Temperament only exists on keyboard=20
    instruments.  Not in the minds of composers.  When a composer writes =
an=20
    orchestral piece, he thinks in just intonation. =20
  Let's word that differently...
  "Temperament tuning only exists on the stringed keyboard." .... Back =
to the Harvard Music Dictionary
  Temperament..."General designation for various systems of tuning in =
which the intervals are tempered, i.e., they deviate from the =
accoustically correct intervals of the Pythagorean scale and of Just =
Intonation"
  Orchestras do not temper those intervals AND composers are influenced =
by the attributes of temperament. The great composers we all elude to =
were all extreme cases of pure genius. They had an incredible amt.of =
understanding and sensitivity towards temperament, key color, and even a =
thorough understanding for the instruments they were writing for. We =
haven't even begun to dive into the problems each instrument brings to =
the table. Yet these composers were able to work around a lot of =
hazzards and find the inner most beauty and present it as a gift of pure =
delight.  I often wonder what if Mozart would have wrote differently if =
he was living today. Better yet, what if he could have time traveled =
ahead 300 yrs. and had the opportunity to experience writing music with =
different temperaments and modern instruments. What if could have looked =
back and wanted to change what he had written?
   Tom Servinsky,RPT

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