Meantone Temperament

[Avery Todd]

Hi Terry,

    Try the Young with Bach and Mozart, also. I'm using the Young for a
two harpsichord (& other things) recital tomorrow. Have also used it
for a Mozart piano concerto.
    I also used the Coleman 11 for a series of Bach Cello/Harpsichord
Faculty recitals.
    Haven't done the Meantone yet but may do it tomorrow after I tune the
harpsichords.

Avery

At 11:00 PM 09/09/00 -0400, you wrote:
>Glad you wrote Ed. I just wanted to know how far out was far out. I have the
>Vallotti on my wife's piano now. She and I both love it. I had put equal
>back on it a few weeks ago, and she immediately had me put the Vallotti back
>on. I will try a couple of the others the next few times I tune. I try to
>tune it once a month or so. So you like Young with Beethoven? Perhaps I will
>try that next. She plays alot of Beethoven and Chopin. Thanks for your
>input. I look forward to broadening my temperament horizons, and learning
>more about their characteristics.
>
>Terry Farrell
>Piano Tuning & Service
>Tampa, Florida
>mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <A440A@AOL.COM>
>To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
>Sent: Saturday, September 09, 2000 9:36 PM
>Subject: Re: Meantone Temperament
>
>
> > Terry writes:
> > <<  I just tuned an old Mason & Hamlin upright in my shop with a
> >
> > Meanton 1/6 Comma temperament with my SAT III. Did it just for the yahoo -
> >
> > never heard an extreme temperament like that before.  . Keys with a
> >
> > bunch of sharps or flats are virtually unplayable - YUK! Key of C really
> >
> > kinda sounds horrid, everything is so still - it sounds dead. I guess I'm
>so
> >
> > used to hearing some elements of out-or-tuneness.  >>
> >
> > Greetings,
> >      Shezaaaaammm!!  You started out way over in the tall weeds! You may
>be
> > used to some elements,  but let's also consider that the 1/6C tuning may
>have
> > been so far from what the composer was using that you have, in effect,
> > changed the notes. (this happens when enharmonic distinctions are being
>made.
> >  You can't use a G# for an Ab)   Experimentation is valuable, even an
>extreme
> > departure provides an additional perpsective.
> >      Before you retune it, you might want to hear some jazz stuff.  I have
> > been stunned at how much dissonance can be used and still sound good in
>some
> > jazz extemporizing I have heard around here. (Avery is cooking up
>SOMETHING
> > in Houston with this idea, too).  The use of new intonation needn't be
> > limited to the synths and computer keyboards, today.  Meantone Jazz is
>going
> > to happen.
> >     If you play this temperament for any length of time, you will return
>to
> > hear ET with a totally new appreciation for its own particular sound.
>(I'll
> > say it again, ET is one of the really fine sounding temperaments.)
> >     If you are in the mood for broadening your harmonic horizons, (and I
> > applaud the effort), I would like to suggest you try a well temperament.
>A
> > Broadwood's Best, or the Coleman 11 for a slight "organic shaping" of the
> > intervals. If you want to maximize it for Beethoven and the 1800 crowd,  I
> > think a Young is close to perfect, though the Kirnbergers make things
> > profound, in places.  Heck,  they are all good when the right music gets
> > played on them.
> >    Let us know what sounds best.
> > Regards,
> > Ed Foote
> >
> >