This week's encounters with Well Temperament

Billbrpt@AOL.COM Billbrpt@AOL.COM
Mon, 29 Apr 2002 00:43:29 EDT


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In a message dated 4/28/02 10:59:30 PM Central Daylight Time, 
HazenBannister@cs.com writes:


> 
> >> More and more professional musicians are requesting HT's, like it or not. 
>> 
>> 
> 
> Hi list, 
> I might have sent a partial reply by mistake,sorry. 
> Not wanting to sound contradictive.I can't find anyone in my area who knows 
> anything about different temperments.That includes 
> colleges,technicians,anything or anybody.I am interested and have run into 
> a dead end street at every turn.This list talks about this topic a lot,but 
> it's the only place I ever see or hear about it.I'm looking forward to 
> Chicago,and tracking one of you down for info. 
> In the dark, 
> Hazen Bannister 


Hazen,

It's a path that you'll have to cut for yourself.  There will be one class at 
the Convention by someone who is well known for his practice of Historical 
Temperaments.  He can give you a good overview.  The only other class which 
will even mention the subject will be one on Fortepianos and which practices 
are best suited to them.

Generally speaking, PTG has never been enthusiastic about this subject.  For 
every member who is interested in it, there are three who don't even want to 
see it on the schedule because the very idea of an *unequal temperament* is 
unthinkable.  This is the result of over a hundred years concerted effort to 
suppress any and all ideas about tuning except ET.  This is what is called 
the "conspiracy of ET" but it really is just a concerted business decision to 
make only available the lowest common denominator, the default choice.  
Having only one choice is cheaper, simpler and more efficient.

The problem today is that most people, when confronted with the reality that 
what they have been taught and practiced their whole life may not be the best 
or only way as they so believed, react very poorly to the idea, reject it out 
of hand, seek to ridicule it and refuse to have any business or association 
with it at all.  You'll find this to be the case with all but a very few 
people who have had the positive experiences Jon has had recently.

You'll not ever likely have anyone ask you for anything specific in piano 
tuning because the public knows of nothing else.  The music business in 
general would rather keep it that way.  It's simpler, more efficient and 
cheaper.  Ask *any* manufacturer's rep whose piano will be heard in a public 
performance at the Convention and you will get nothing but negativity.  None 
of them will ever have their piano tuned in anything but ET.

The Institute Committees are remarkably consistent with their attitudes as 
well, it doesn't seem to matter who it is.  If they could get rid of the idea 
entirely, they would.  It's too much trouble and creates harsh divisions 
between Members.

A Convention should be the place where new ideas and ideas which have merit 
but are not yet well known be presented.  Don't look for a recital, concert 
or even a casual presentation of music played on a piano in anything but ET 
at this year's Convention.  It will not be offered.  Many people would be 
angered and offended if it were.

The only thing you can do to change all of this is to take the initiative 
yourself.  Attend that HT class, read what those of us who do them have to 
say, try what we are offering and make the idea work for you.  Then, tell the 
Convention Institute Committee and the manufacturers what you would like to 
see and hear.  The road is long and hard, not something to do on a lark or 
whim but the results which happen when real music is played and enjoyed by 
people are well worth it.

I'll be in Chicago the weekend of the Convention but I'll be downtown making 
music and doing what I know how to do.  There will be many great 
opportunities to learn many things for many people but I am more interested 
in what I would not be able to find there than what I could.  I don't expect 
things will change anytime soon.

Bill Bremmer RPT
Madison, Wisconsin
 <A HREF="http://www.billbremmer.com/">Click here: -=w w w . b i l l b r e m m e r . c o m =-</A> 

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