unequal temperaments

[Howard S. Rosen]

I suppose that the main reason for tuning older (unequal) temperaments is
to have certain keys (tonalities) sound better than they would if tuned
with equal temperament. While there is truth to that, what is one to do
when playing a piece in a different key? Or one that modulates? It's, of
course, impractical to retune when making these changes. With all the
interest in these older tuning systems today, I strongly suspect that I am
missing something. I once attended a class wherein a Mozart piece was
played having been tuned to one of those unequal temperaments as a
demonstration, and as the modulations occurred, the piano sound changed.
Sometimes good and sometimes terrible depending on the key. Is the
alternative to have equal temperament, and have all keys sound equally
________ ? (fill in your own adverb - terrible, bad, or pretty good, etc.

If there are any unequal temperament devotees out there, I would appreciate
some input on this topic. Make me a believer. Thanks!

Howard S. Rosen, RPT
Boynton Beach, Florida

hsrosen@emi.net