Pitch

[Richard Brekne]

Robert Wilson wrote:

> >
> We can discuss various pitches until the cows come
> home - but what is your opinion of the important part
> of the discussion i.e. is Chopin's music less
> beautiful at any other pitch than what Joe considered
> to be the proper pitch?
>
> Bob Wilson.
> London
>

Surprised that Ed hasn't chirped in on this yet. Bob, to begin with you
pose a question that only has a subjective answer.  Certainly the
relative beat rates of all intervals are slowed with a lower pitch, and
certainly there is another sense of key colour in non equal
temperaments. Whether these represent something more or less beautiful
relative to Chopin's or any other music is by necessarily a matter of
taste.

I would think that if Chopin or any of those fellows from that time were
to hear their music played in any temperament or pitch relationship that
they experienced as very different then what they were accustomed too,
many of them would react negatively. For the same kind of reasons many
today think non equal temperaments sound bad.

jmv


--
Richard Brekne
RPT, N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway
mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no