Beethoven in the Temperaments

[Howard S. Rosen]

Dear Ed,

Thanks so much for taking the time for this informative response. I know
that I must read Jorgenson and I shall reread your post a few more times. 

Howard

----------
> From: A440A@aol.com
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Beethoven in the Temperaments
> Date: Friday, October 03, 1997 12:11 PM
> 
>  Howard asks:
> 
> >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. 
> 
>     hmmmmm..  The main reason?   I am not sure about that, but the
> development of the checks, tests, and knowledge required to tune ET took
> place along with the development of the piano. Composers of the classical
era
> viewed the inequalities as resources, not limits. Jorgensen has as good a
> take on this as anybody I have read.  
>    As to making certain keys sound better,  I believe it is much more
> complicated than that;   the true beauty of the Classical keyboard
repertoire
> depends on the composers use of the contrast between the keys.   This
means
> that there was an art to modulation, requiring  great skill in moving
about
> the keys.   This has to do with the musical tension that is generated by
the
> tempering being resolved by the movement to the less tempered keys.   
>     Equal temperament doesn't do this,  key changes are movements from
one
> pitch center to another, but there is no difference in the amount of
> dissonance between them.  Well Temperaments are another matter.  Movement
in
> the direction of C causes a lessening of tension, while movements away
from C
> cause increase, ( this is a very general statement!!). These are valuable
> tools to the composer.  
>     I suppose that this is the time to announce......TA DA!! 
> We have almost ready to release the first CD production that I have ever
> done.  The CD is "Beethoven In The Temperaments"- Historical tunings on
the
> modern Concert Grand.  
>      I am very fortunate to have enjoyed the trust of Steinway Artist
Enid
> Katahn these many years, and when I began giving lectures on the
construction
> of these unequal temperaments, she latched on to it, immediately.   Her
quote
> was, " I have been playing Beethoven all of my life, and I am hearing
things
> I never heard before.  It all makes sense!!" 
>          Sooooooo.  What we have is a CD of four Sonatas, "Pathetique,
Op. 14
> no. 1, Moonlight, and Waldstein".   We used the concert piano here at
> Vanderbilt and Gasparo records did the recording.  
>    The first two are performed on an Prinz, ( Kirnberger III), and the
second
> two are done on a Young (1799).   There is a 4,800 word booklet that
> accompanies the CD, explaining why we temper, how it was done
historically,
> and where we are today.    
>      The restoration of key color to the music that was composed on these
> older tunings lends a dimension to Beethovens music that profoundly
changes
> it. An example is the 2nd  mvt. of the Pathetique.  We are used to
hearing
> this piece as a "stand-alone" passage, one of slow beauty. however,  when
> played in the key of C#min,  this is a tension-riddled  movement, setting
the
> ear for the last movement.  Believe me,  this is one dissonant sounding
piece
> of music,  but ol' Ludwig didn't use the word "pathetique" for nothing.  
>      The temperament crusade that is going on these days is in its
infancy,
>  but is growing strongly.  I believe that this is due to the work of Owen
> Jorgensen and the ease of application via the RCT and SAT.  
>     I also would like to hear from others that are involved in the
> "revolution".  I think the application of various temperaments will be
good
> for the technician that can supply them, and I also believe that it will
be a
> good reason to re-record the literature.   
>      An example of what happens became clear during the recording
session.
>  Roy Christensen, (a cellist with "big ears",  and the owner of Gasparo),
>  came out after the first take and  asked "What the hell has happened to
the
> piano?".  He was not at all accustomed to the contrasts.  By the third
day he
> remarked that he had listened to some other piano CD's of ET and they now
> sounded WRONG!!  His impression changed, and now the ET recordings of
> Beethoven he has sound stale and tedious. 
>     There is a lot more that applies to this thing, and I will be glad to
> post the liner notes, in installments, if the list would like to wade
through
> the bandwidth.  
> Regards to all, 
> Ed Foote 
> Precision Piano Works
> Nashville, Tn
>