[CAUT] Meantone (Which?)

[Jim Busby]

Hi Ed,

So, without "reading the book", do you think it's possible to narrow it
down to maybe 3 "meantone" temperaments? (For different general
periods.)

I should explain that we have a professor over the 4 harpsichords who
wants one (the Willard Martin) kept in Werkmeister (I chose WKIII), two
(a Neupert and a Tadashi) in EQ or mild WT, and this Daly (Italian)
which he wants kept in Meantone. When I showed him all the options for
meantone he wasn't sure of which one he wanted. He's a great guy and
wonderful organist, but it seems that most the professors I've talked
with think "Meantone is Meantone..." if you know what I mean.

I always hated Baskin Robbins. Just give me three or four flavors... (G)

Regards,
Jim Busby




-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
A440A at aol.com
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2007 4:14 PM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Meantone (Which?)

Jim  writes:

<<  And no, they don't know what they want either. I'll read through
this 
stuff and see if I can make a more educated guess as to what they might
need with 
this instrument. Right now I put a "John Marsh 1809" and they seem to
like 
it. I have no idea what it really is, It just seemed to be less strident
in some 
keys... I'm certainly a rooky at choosing temperaments. >>

Greetings, 
      The optimum tuning is dependent on the music that is to be played.
A 
harpsichord is tuned so often that it shouldn't be a problem moving
things 
around.  The Pietro Aaron 1/4 meantone is the basic foundation of most
early 
music, (prior to say, 1650), but there are MT's that, while not
providing totally 
Just intevals in all eight usable keys, are still able to create that
consonant 
sound of Justness without actually being tuned that restrictively.  
     If a restrictive tuning is not acceptable, try the various Bach 
interpretations and see which one finds favor. The Rollingball site
should have the 
"Bach" tunings by Charles Francis, Kellnor, Lehman, and perhaps others.
These 
might just be the right temperament for a harpsichord that sees some
variety 
time period music. 
Regards, 


Ed Foote RPT 
http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html
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