This is the frequency table for a reconstructed historical Bach tuning.
Usable for 24 Keys.
"Das Wohltemperirte Clavier" was composed for a temperament like this,
according to the authors.
A detailed description of how to lay this temperament is
to be found in:
Practical Introduction to Historical Tunings.
by
Herbert Anton Kellner.
(My version is in German).
(Einfuehrung in die Praxis historischer Stimmungen.)
(Der Piano und Fluegelbau, by Herbert Junghans, ISBN 3-923639-60-0)
(C 1984 Verlag Bochinsky, Frankfurt)
Bach on A
Difference
Bach centr. Bach centr. from equal
equal on C on A in cents
C 523.2511306 523.2511306 525.7047253 +8.099
B 493.8833013 491.3261646 493.6300588 -0.888
Bb 466.1637615 465.1121161 467.2930891 +4.189
A 440.0000000 437.9464105 440.0000000 0.000
G# 415.3046976 413.4329921 415.3716348 +0.279
G 391.9954360 391.4007084 393.2360388 +5.470
F# 369.9944227 367.4959930 369.2192310 -3.631
F 349.2282314 348.8340871 350.4698169 +6.144
E 329.6275569 327.5507764 329.0867059 -2.843
D# 311.1269837 310.0747441 311.5287261 +2.234
D 293.6647679 292.7723017 294.1451503 +2.830
C# 277.1826310 275.6219947 276.9144232 -1.676
C 261.6255653 261.6255653 262.8523626 +8.099
.... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...... . . .. . . ..
.. . . . . . . .. .
Really would like to find instructions from the Master himself on how WTC
should be tuned. After all why did he call it Well Tempered, then write 48
pieces for the 12 key signatures? The assumption is they could all be
played wo the keyboard having to be retuned. But it would have to be tuned
"differently" from the traditional "just" tunings. Some where there must
be instructions on how to do this. Especially since all the
harpsichordists tuned for themselves. Seems like there should have been
instructions along with the music
Richard Moody
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