temperament

[A440A@AOL.COM]

Ric writes:

>Never-the-less in music as in listening to music at tempo, these
distinctions of temperament  seem to disapear.  Execpt perhaps when
"compromised intervals" happen to be played and only when held as in half
notes or longer.  Whom ever is able to distinquish better than this is
welcome to demonstrate.  <

   These effects of temperament are easily distinguished.  On a well tempered 
piano, play the prelude in C# from the WTC in C#, and then transpose it to C. 
 You will immediately notice the lack of vitality and drive in the music.  
There is a definite difference caused by the wide C#-F third and it is the 
tonal texture of the harmony.  There are no held notes in this passage, 
everything is fast, but the temperament difference is great. 


> Getting back to Kirnberger III  with a just c-e-g  triad I am curious to
know if it is all just.  Or if c--g is tempered narrow but with c--e   being
pure which is the beginning of Meantone. <
  
  Yes, the C-E is Just, the C-G is tempered 1/4 of a syntonic comma. I was 
referring to the thirds when I described the Just nature of the tuning.   

>You mention his earlier ones,
where g--b and f--a is just.  Actually that is Meantone unless the remaining
5ths are tempered so that there will not be a wolf 5th.  < 

  Oops, mea culpa on this one.  In the equal beating version, the G-B, C-E 
and D-F# are Just.  The F-A is 10 cents wide,(still nice sounding) and the 
A-C# is only 8 cents wide.   Creating this much purity is harmonically 
expensive, and requires that there be four thirds expanded to the maximum of 
21 cents,(Db-F, Ab-C, Eb-G, and Bb-D).  This is the 1/2 Syntonic comma well 
temperament.  Very easy to tune, very probable that it saw wide use.   

>If this is the case
what 5ths are tempered and how much, and what are the musical implications?

The G-D, D-A, and A-E fifths were tempered  by 1/3 syntonic comma ( 7 cents). 
 Stanhope considered these fifths "offensive". 
Excuse the mis-label
Regards, 
Ed Foote RPT