Historical temperaments

[A440A@aol.com]

Allan Day writes;
>One of my customers will be recording the Bethoven Diabelli Variations
>using the Kirnburger III.

         Once, in preparation for a recital on historical temperaments, the
two artists and I listened to the program on several different tunings.  The
Prinz-Neidhart , Werkmiester III, and a Kirnberger-Stanhope were tried, as
well as the Young.
    The Mozart on the program sounded best in the Prinz, no doubt in
anybody's mind.  The Beethoven sounded rough in the Prinz as well as the
Kirnberger-Stan.
     The Young was the ultimate choice.  It provides key character to all of
the music, yet avoids being overly dissonant when Ludwig goes all the way out
there.
                                        *    *      *       *         *
      *
     I would like to make a suggestion to all that are involved in historical
temperaments.
      I suggest that we always bear in mind that the modern listener may well
be put off by something as beautiful,(to us), as Beethoven on a Werkmiester,
Kirnberger, or even a modified meantone.   There is little familiarity out
there with dissonance at these levels,  and if given too big a dose, too
soon,  many listeners will reject this "new-fangled idea of historical
temperaments" instead of being impressed with the modulations and contrasts
that the classical keyboard composers exhibited with  well-tempered tunings.

      I have seen this happen,  and it is hard to get them to come back.

     The Young will often awaken in the neophyte listener the recognition of
tonality, and, (if you don't dwell on F# maj!),  they usually will enjoy the
added texture.  My own mistakes in the past have been when I used a
temperament from far earlier than the composer's own period of work.
     Too little tempering for a piece can be something of a missed
opportunity, but too much key color can be counter-productive to widening the
audience.

Regards to all,  and a pat on the back to Allan  Day for getting something
cooking out there. (:)}}


Ed Foote
Precision Piano Works
Nashville, Tn