more on this temperament thing

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Dave writes: 
<<Inspired by your email, this morning I tuned practice room pianos in
Young's #1, Kirnberger III, and Coleman XI.  I've done this before,
but I hadn't yet this year.  I think it is important in an academic
setting to expose the students (and faculty) to these alternatives.>>

  I agree.  I do think it helps to put a sign on the door of each room with 
some very short explanation of what is inside.  
 

>>Having said all that, I wish I liked the sound better.  

    Why?

>>I know it's
unfair, but A-flat in a Werkmeister III doesn't sound "alive" to me,
it just sounds "bad."  As you grew in your knowledge and use of HTs
did you go through this phase?>>

   I would submit that a temperament by itself doesn't sound "good" or "bad", 
so listening to the temperaments is simply going to illuminate the difference 
between what one is used to and something else.  I didn't have any feeling 
one way or another just by listening to the differences in the tunings, but 
after hearing the music,  my appreciation for the added complexity grew. I 
also grew to appreciate the sound of ET, which had somehow escaped me for 20 
years. 
    For the last three years I have been giving temperament presentations to 
technicians and musical groups,(teachers, students, etc.).  These two groups 
react in very different ways, and I have altered my procedures accordingly.  
The techs represent a hard sell,  the musicians just roll over in epiphanies. 
 From a technical and professional standpoint, the change of temperament is 
viewed with extreme suspicion.  From the musician's, I have found that 
well-temperaments excite them, stimulates a closer look at the repertoire, 
and gives me some input into musical expression.  This is at the root of my 
commitment to offering a wide variety of temperament.
>>I know it's not politically correct to say it, but I like ET, and the more 
E the better!!<< 
   I don't think there is anything politically incorrect other than 
condemnation of others that choose paths unlike our own.  I like ET also, 
just not for EVERYTHING. 
Thanks for the note.  
Regards, 
Ed Foote RPT