Subj: Historical Tuning(long)

[A440A@aol.com]

Paul asks;

> - What temperaments are appropriate for what time frames( e.i. early,
>middle, late baroque, early classical, etc.)  appropriate for what
composers,
>parts of the world.

    This seems to be the unanswerable question!  Once we leave the
mathematical grid of equal temperament, there  are no real rules, only the
general directions.
How much dissonance is too much?  How much salt.. etc......What we want and
like is real subjective.
   The difference between equal and well is larger than the differences
between individual well temperaments, IMHO.  It is the adoption of key color
that is the big alteration, most of the decisions after that are refinements.

    I will offer what it seems I have found,  but I sure would like to hear
what others are learning about this too.  The Temperament Crusade needs us
all

    The Young(1799) temperament is the workhorse well temperament for me.
 For first time hearing, it doesn't jar the ET ears of musicians. This is
important.  The Victorian that Owen publishes is nice, but too subtle for
myself,  (see, that subjective stuff arises as soon as I start !) .
     When introduced to a departure from the familiar,  musicians tend to be
quite wary.  If they are struck first by the increased consonance in the
simpler keys,  they tend to be more accepting of the idea of tonal contrasts,
 thus the door is opened to a fuller explanation of Key Character, and how it
came and went.
     If however you blow a well tempered F# major triad at them right off the
bat,  they often form an instant opinion that this "weird tuning" is "more
out of tune".
     Once a musician grasps the concept of ascending dissonance, then the
manner in which tempering is "dialed in" to a temperament becomes a personal
matter.

     The vast majority of keyboard music composed before 1700 works well in
the various meantone tunings. Because enharmonic placements may vary, in
these tunings, either you are on, or you find a wolf in your lap.  I hope
there are others on the list that have investigated the differences among the
meantone tunings,  I am sketchy on their use.

    Everything between 1722 and 1850  seems to be suited for the irregular,
circulating temperaments.  The greater the scale degree, the more need for
later temperaments.  Mozart sounded better in a Prinz, but Beethoven takes on
a rather ugly air if his later works are played in earlier temperaments.  The
Young has met with more approval for his sonati than others.  The earlier
stuff can sound good on a Prinz/Neidhart,  but once again,  it depends on the
tastes.  Chopin can become very interesting if played on the DeMorgan,
however, keeping in mind that the 3rds and 5ths are in opposition, the choice
between a De Morgan and a more conventional well temperament will depend on
whether you think the purity is best placed in the 3rd or the 5th. (opus 28
preludes are a great place to hear the DeMorgan at work!)

   The equal beating temperaments have been described as very "pungent" by
one of my customers.  I suppose that on pianofortes, they could be very
different.
   The  increased inharmonicity of our modern pianos should be taken into
account when deciding on temperaments.  What was tolerably smooth on a
harpsichord is usually harsher on the modern piano.  Thus,  a temperament in
favor during a composers day, on the older instrument, becomes a lot more of
a harmonic handful when  their music is performed on a modern, high tension
scale. I am finding that things go better when the temperament is somewhat
newer than the composition,unless it is a  harpsichord you are tuning,  Then
you can go farther back.


    One of the most intense experiences of my life was listening to the
"Waldstein" performed on a Steinway D tuned in a Werkmiester III. Some
listeners would have been  shocked at the "out-of-tuneness", as Ludwig does
modulate, but I was totally enthralled by the contrasts, and resolutions.  I
may not have been so enthusiastic had I heard it five years ago, before
becoming familiar with the concept, but now my ears are broken in, and I love
the difference. ( I have seen real sophisticated cheese-lovers go nuts over
stuff I wouldn't give to a dog, so there is something to exposure changing
ones perceptions)

   The increased use of other temperaments is important,IMO, and with some
care and explanation,  neophytes often find a whole new world opening up.
 With careless exposure of highly tempered contrasts,  newcomers often turn
away, seeking the comfort of the familiar. ( do they know what they like, or
do they like what they know?)

     I would like to hear from others on this too,  Stephen Birkett, Horace
Greely, Dennis Johnston, and others are out there working with these tunings,
and it would be great to hear how the Temperament Crusade is doing.  Here in
Nashville,  there is still just one recording studio that is using a well
temperament, but they are committed to it, so ........

Regards,
Ed Foote
Precision Piano Works
Nashville, Tn.