Subj: Historical Tuning

[A440A@aol.com]

Greetings all,

Bill Bailer writes;
 >>I have a few specific questions in reference to extracted lines from of
>>your message, as follows:

 (Ed said;)
" 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. "
 (Bill),
>>Since a modern piano tone contains a lower percentage of higher
>>partials, it seems to me that it should be MORE tolerant of extreme
>>temperament than a harpsichord.

     I think you are right, at least theoretically, and in some practical
situations.  I was speaking of customer's reactions in the comparisons, and
it is often the case that a Werckmiester or equal beating
Stanhope,(Jorgenson's nomenclature is used here),  will please a customer
mightily on the harpsichord, but  when applied to a small grand, sounds
horrible.  While more overtone laden than the pianoforte, the harsichord's
highly tempered keys don't seem to be as objectionable to modern ears as the
piano.
     I would have been on stronger ground if I had drawn the comparison to
pianofortes instead of Harpsichords,  so you have a point here.
    Also, I would ask that we consider the comparison between a leather
plectra harpsichord, and a bright,(read brassy), concert piano, ( of the sort
that schools often have ).  The overtone comparison here may be far
different.

(Bill)
<snip> there are
historical documents that indicate that there was an intent to reduce
the over-all number of beat rates so that the temperament itself (in the
more common 50% of keys) is inherently more harmonious than equal
temperament.

(Ed)
     Again,  this makes sense to me,  and is the reason that the Young is my
 "universal solvent" when it comes to melting the calcified sense of tonality
that ET has caused.
{ OK, I got this bias, see?  it had to come out somewhere,  Equal temperament
is only one of many ways to tune a keyboard, and even if some regard it as a
realized ideal,  others, (me, if no one else), think of it as a dead end,
scientific detour on the road to harmony)

(Bill)
What IS different about music played on pianos is that it
is often more modern music that is written in key signatures of more
that three sharps or flats--  THAT may be what is heard as more harsh in
an historical temperament.  What do you think?

(Ed)

      It is best, IMHO, to restrict the tunings to music of an approximate
era in which the tuning perhaps was in use.  Virtually all the 20th Cen.
music I have heard sounds worse on a well temperament. I was speaking
strictly of matching temperaments with their particuar period of music.
      I once had a duo piano team use my small shop for a practise studio.  I
had two small Steinway grands in there at once,  and they were well tempered.
 The Beethoven was stunning, but the other part  of the program, (Gershwin)
 was horrible.

     What I am really glad to see is the growing interest in the older
tunings. (thanks OWEN!),  and debate amongst us is crucial to the direction
of this progress.
So........ I don't know if it is a thread or a fuse, but I will offer this;
   Modern music sounds as out of tune on well temperament as Mozart does on
equal temperament.  ( Perhaps a small glowing ember here on the cyber-hearth
to see us into winter??)

Regards to all,
Thank you Bill for writing,

Ed Foote
Precision Piano Works
Nashville, Tn