1/7 Meantone Inappropriate for Beethoven?

A440A@AOL.COM A440A@AOL.COM
Sun, 10 Feb 2002 17:59:30 EST


Greetings all, 
     Since he obviously dosn't know when to stop, I find myself compelled to 
respond to Mr. Bremmer's remarks directed towards me.  The overly sensitive 
should just delete this, right now.   

Billbrpt writes:

<<I really wanted Kent to announce the fact that the piano was tuned in an HT 
but he refused.  As far as I'm concerned, the fault lies with that decision, 
not any that I made. <<

   If the tuning can't stand on its own merits, what use is it? 

>>The 1/7 Comma Meantone has been determined to be a temperament useful for 
any type of music  <<

  Who determined that?  

>>My opinion of Ed is that he has consistently been known to regard Madison 
tuners, especially me as a bunch of nut case kooks who make life difficult 
for him. <<

    Hmm,  I don't know any "Madison Tuners" other than Tim.  He doesn't make 
life difficult for anybody that I know of, regardless of the strength of his 
tempering.  You, Mr. Bremmer, are the only nut case kook I have met in the 
Guild, and you certainly don't make life difficult for me.  In fact, your 
stance has provided the perfect foil for a logical and rational approach to 
presenting the case for temperament variety.  

>>His opinion of the 1/7 Comma Meantone was and is still based on 
pure ignorance and emotion.  The "mean" part of the word Meantone is what 
scares him.<< 

   No,  my opinion of the 1/7 C is based on what it sounds like.  

>>Ed also claims that the tuning I did in Milwaukee in 1993 drove people away 
from the HT idea. << 

   Actually, according to many that have approached me about this, it wasn't 
the tuning that soured them, it was the tuner. 

>>Those who found that sound to be "out of tune" simply were not used to 
hearing that kind of sound and certainly did not expect it.  <snip>
This, of course is Ed's point and I contend that it is the Uncle Tom 
approach. << 

   I have had too many people, classical and jazzers play(unknowingly) non-ET 
and love the sound.  An appropriate tuning doesn't need to have the musician 
"educated" beforehand to be accepted.  And why Mr. Bremmer would choose to 
attempt a racist angle in a temperament debate is totally beyond me.  

>>I think Ed reacted the way he did because he saw an opportunity to put 
himself forward in the eyes of the people he saw were upset.  This was his 
chance to "score" and that's what he did and is still doing it today. << 

    You think wrong, Mr. Bremmer.  I said nothing about that program to 
anyone until you, (three years later) attempted to castigate Gina Carter and 
Kent Webb as leaders of a conspiracy.  The odor about this is your own.  

>> Until Ed learns to tune  the 1/7 Comma Meantone, makes a recording of the 
Beethoven Apassionata sonata  in it, I'll always consider his remarks an 
assault,<< 

    Don't hold your breath.  I am well aware of how to tune a 1/7 C. and 
Beethoven's modulations suffer when performed in it(on a modern grand). Why 
would I make a recording that sounds so poorly?  
    I have so far produced 2 recordings of a wide variety of temperaments, 
from 1/4 C to ET, for a variety of composers,(Scarlatti, Haydn, Mozart, 
Beethoven, Chopin, Grieg) so I am making my case for temperament propriety in 
that manner.  The art of temperament is knowing what works for what music, 
and I don't think you have a clue. 
   I suggest you to put your money where your mouth is and issue a 1/7C. CD 
of your own. Talk is cheap.   
Ed Foote RPT 


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