No EBVT at Convention

[A440A@AOL.COM]

Bill Bremmer writes: 

>But I'll leave it to the traitor among HT tuners, Ed Foote
>who  once called the 1/7 Comma Meantone Temperament a "disaster, like a train
> wreck or a burning building" to demonstrate again his Uncle Tom approach
>to  temperament tuning.  It's what PTG wants and deserves. 

<snip lotta negative vibes>.  

Greetings all, 
     My technical critisism of Mr. Bremmer's choice of temperament in 
Milwaukee was held for five years, though I told Bremmer at the time that his 
preferred level of dissonance and contrast was beyond me.   I only posted my 
convention impressions when Mr. Bremmer (in an attack on perceived " 
conspirators") claimed far wider support for his tuning than I saw evidenced 
while there.  I felt that a rebuttal was due and I stand by my remarks.   
    The result was a continuing series of personal attacks that I have no 
interest in fueling.  However, there are some errors involved here that I DO 
need to clarify. 
 
1. >"the traitor among HT tuners"

    This presupposes that I was, in some form, part of an alliance that 
included Mr. Bremmer; that I was a member of some "HT group" which I 
betrayed.  NOT!   I have operated as independantly as possible since I began, 
and refuse to allow Mr. Bremmer or anyone else to enroll me in their cause.  
What I am doing might be in opposition, but I never became part of anything 
that I could "betray".    
     
2.   His claim that a small minority of tuners and instrument makers has 
steered the PTG away from his position is ludicrous.  There is a growing 
temperament awareness throughout the trade and the PTG has done more to 
assist the spread of this new knowledge than any other entity I know of.   

     I didn't solicit a teaching spot at the convention, but was pleased to 
have been asked. Other chapters have asked me to speak on temperaments at 
their meetings and I hope I gave them their money's worth.  Even jousting 
with Virgil Smith was a wonderful experience, and I think we both came away 
with new perspectives.  I  welcome a public critique of my presentation if 
there are any onliners that were there and wanted to comment.   
    I haven't seen any hostility in these encounters.    Some disinterest 
around the edges, sure, but there are a lot of techs out there that are just 
beginning their investigation of the temperaments and I am proposing an 
approach that doesn't include condemning their status quo.  If that interests 
the Guild enough for them to request my Temperament Revival dog and pony 
show,  I consider it an honor.  If I am totally misguided in my message, I'll 
find out.  
   Others have their agendas.  Some are combative, others are totally silent. 
 I am sorry that there are those that feel threatened,  but meanwhile,  I 
intend to continue producing recordings of well tempered pianos.  I want to 
change the world, and this is how I am trying to do it.  I won't respond to 
the personal attacks but I continue to invite critique on my choice of 
tunings,  as they explain my idea of beauty more fully than any words I might 
have. 
Regards, 
Ed Foote RPT