[CAUT] Speaking of Chopin...Montal

[A440A at aol.com]

Fred  writes:

<<  I thought I'd look back at Monsieur Montal's book, and it  
really cuts the legs from under much of the speculation that has been  
engaged in during this conversation. >>

 Greetings, 
   I disagree.  Montal's instructions come under "How to tune your own 
piano".  How many amatuers could tune ET with any kind of instruction?  I have seen 
them try, even with demonstration, and very few even come close.   I also 
doubt that the tuners of 1836 were more progressive than those of today, and look 
how long it took Murray Barbour's work to have any effect on the tuning world, 
even in an age of mass communication, books published, piano guilds, etc.  I 
don't think tuners change fundamental habits that fast.  
   And when it is documented that 50 years later, at Broadwood's, the 
majority of the best tuners were still tuning a temperament that followed the 
traditional form of WT, it is doubtful that Montal's influence was all that 
widespread. His book is rare, mention of his work is scant, (so far as I have been able 
to Google).  In comparison, Thomas Young was well enough known, in a variety 
of fields,  to have been able to present his temperament to the Royal Academy. 
 When you have entrance to the highest levels like that, I think the odds 
favor wider acceptance, especially since Valotti paved the way.   
    Another consideration is that Chopin's attachment to his favorite tuner 
argues against there being ET involved, since ET is ET and if it was so 
widespread, Chopin could have easily found another tuner to tune the same way.  ET 
tuners would be considered fungible.  However, if his tuner was a WT guy, then 
the individual nature of tempering could easily have intrigued ole' Frederick 
C.  (Or, if Chopin was as hopelessly neurotic as many great pianists, he could 
have formed the attachment on things that have nothing to do with tuning...)
         Rellstab's noting of Chopins use of ugly keys making a wild crude 
sound also argues against ET, doesn't it?   
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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