On Fri, 7 Jul 1995, Dennis Johnson wrote: > At 5:34 PM 7/6/95 -0600, Gilreath@aol.com wrote: > ......... While some pieces sound much more > >harmonious in a certain non-equal tuning, and proper writing makes use of the > >inherent dissonances, other pieces ,or simply playing in a different key, > >sound absolutely terrible. Everything is a trade off, or as they say you > >don't get something for nothing. The historical tnuings have a very definite > >place when used in the right context and application. However, while I use > >these temperaments for historical concerts, I'm not quite ready to give up on > >equal temperament as a failed experiment. > > > __________ > > > Let me say that I am compelled to qualify the .... "absolutely > terrible" in this statement. Presuming you refer to unrestrictive > temperament, then by defination, nothing is restrictive. Of course in > restrictive temperament we do get some diminished fourths, and in meantone, > an diminished sixth, but that is its objective. The secret of unequal, > unrestrivtive temperament that makes it so magically unrestrictive (and > which so many seem to have missed) is the proportionally beating triads and > chords. With so much complicated harmonic activity going on at the same > time, it should be evident that some very interesting and musical solutions > can be tailored to that individual instruments' inharmonicity. This is what > makes tuning fun for me. I am not out to bash equal because it has its > place, of course, but the problem with equal IMO is that its interval beat > speeds bear no relationship to other interval beat speeds within a given > triad. If you listen closely to an accurate, strong well-temperament for > some time, I believe you would agree that the least appealing (or certainly > least expressive) keys are the normal ones like A maj., that are actually > closest to equal. My argument is that while it is certainly appropriate, > necessary and even desirable to have at our musical disposal less > expressive or normal moods, 2 or 3 keys is enough of that particular color. > In the end however, this is not even really an issue for debate > because it is simply a personal aesthetic judgement. I encourage each > professional tuner to be less afraid of shocking your pianists and to make > serious, honest aesthetic judgements about your temperament. I have never > had a real problem from musicians concerning my temperaments and I have > regularly tuned the performance, practice and teaching pianos here > unequally for about 5 years. Most of the faculty don't even know, some of > them, and most of the students, love it. > > There, I said it, and I'll stand back now. Enough opinions for one day. > Have a good weekend, > > > Dennis Johnson > St. Olaf College > > > > Golly gee-willikers!! 'n'all the time I jest bin tunin' 'em so's they sounds good!
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