Feedback or Controversy on Bach/Lehman's temperament ?

[A440A at aol.com]

Avery  writes:

<<  Move a few to something like a Young and don't say anything about

it. Of course, in my position, it would be simple to retune if anyone

complained. >>
          
          I sure wish I had some forte pianos up here!  
          I used to use a Young for introductions, and the rejection rate was 
higher than now, since I began with the Moore and Co. or Broadwood tunings.  
If the biggest third isn't over 18 cents, the vast majority of pianists don't 
notice the piano as being unequal, but, rather, having increased resonance and 
clarity.   As I said, the Moore and Co. on a Steinway D is a very "live" 
sound, but the subtle shading of the third's widths is never detected as a pitch 
difference from ET.  Tuners and musicians listen to a performance differently, 
and the musicians ain't countin' beats.  
     There is a threshold people have to hearing this type of tuning 
dissonance, after which expressiveness becomes harshness.  Optimum tuning for Mozart 
can be heavy if used for Ravel, ( IMHO).  Optimum for Ravel will usually be on 
the wimp side for Mozart or Bach.    I think mellower pianos can carry off 
higher degrees of tempering without harshness, and certain audiences' 
expectations will affect how the music is felt.  



Ed Foote RPT 
http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html