historical temperaments

[A440A@AOL.COM]

Greetings Kent, 
<< tuners understand the differences between ET
and the various specific well temperaments, but will music performers
understand?<<

And How!!  All they have to do is be softly introduced to them and get a 
chance to listen.  It is easy to scare them before they try it, but if the 
introduction is done properly, it is a very rare pianist that doesn't have 
lights come on in their head. 
   
 >>One of Jorgensen's students came to the college here in KC
almost two decades ago and could not sell historical tunings, except to a
student or two.<< 

   Interesting,  without knowing what that student produced, or how they 
described what they were doing, I have no idea why they failed.  Mine and a 
growing number of tech's experience is quite different. 

>>I guess what I am getting at is that I am all for spreading the word about
well temperaments and am more than willing to provide them to my customers,
but go easy on Isacoff if you can; I don't see his work as particularly
deficient. It is just that he has left some room for tuners to offer and
demonstrate some new in-depth additions to the story. >>

   I think Isacoff missed the boat.  He posits that ET was a riddle that was 
suddenly solved in the late 1600's.  As if the entire musical world suddenly 
formed a concept of ET, and instantly made the switch from Meantone to ET.  I 
disagree with that. 
    The analogy that springs ot mind is the Rubic Cube.  Very simple concept; 
just put all like colors on each side.  Easy as pie, a child can understand 
the target.  But,  how do you do it?  With the interrelationship of the 
elements, a plan has to be made before the goal is reached,  just like ET.  
However,  what if you were trying to solve a mixed up Rubic Cube and the 
light would only stay on for a few seconds at a time?  Just like the quick 
decay of a harpsichord tone.  Would it be possible?  unlikely.
     How was a tuner in 1700 going to align everything up?  Especially since 
there were no professional tuners, just instrument makers and musicians.  I ha
ve yet to see a passable ET from anybody but those that work on it every day. 
 And they all have to have a distinct plan with checks and tests that NOBODY 
was talking about in 1700.  
   So, I think that the references to ET in 1700 were used in contrast to the 
restrictive meantone.  The big problem with people like Isacoff is that they 
think the ET we know and "Love" was the same as the ET that was talked about 
in 1700.  I don't think so.   
       Temperament didn't solve any riddle,  it simply provided a different 
set of contrasts.  I think the "riddle" was HOW to tune an ET, not the 
concept itself.  And that riddle wasn't solved before at least the 1800's.  
Isacoff never discusses the way ET was achieved, just a naive opinion that it 
"happened".  
How long does it take the tuning community to change their ways???????  I 
have been finding out lately, and it ain't fast today, it is hard to believe 
that the musicians of 300 years ago were faster on the uptake.  
Thanks for the note, 
Ed Foote