Temperament selection (was: Franz Mohr in Moscow)

[Brad Lehman]

A440A at aol.com wrote:
> Jon writes:
> 
> << ET does have it's limitations on small pianos. A Well Temperament placed
> on these types really does make them more sonorous. Sounding better
> than you could imagine, taking the harshness and edginess out which
> ET puts in. >>
> 
>          It has been related to me that a well-tempered console piano will 
> sell before an identical equally tempered one right beside it.  This, from a 
> store owner/technician who was initially very leary of not using ET.  I gave a 
> temperament program for a local organization, and tuned a Petrof he had at the 
> store.   After a weekend of trying a mild WT in the middle of all his store 
> pianos, he was asking about "what kind of machine did I use to make the piano 
> sound like that?"   He liked the sound, a lot.   He has since found that the WT 
> smaller pianos sell first, in a store with rows of identical small pianos.  


Just a few days ago I got a nice note from a professional pianist, 
reporting and asking: "Later this month [we will] record the Mendelssohn 
piano quartets and sonata, Op. 1, 2, 3 & 4. I see no reason not to use 
the Bach temperament for all of these pieces - C, d, b, f. What do you 
think? In fact I see no reason not to use it for just about everything I 
ever play!"

That is:

F-C-G-D-A-E 1/6 comma narrow 5ths;
E-B-F#-C# pure 5ths;
C#-G#-D#-A# 1/12 comma narrow 5ths;
A#-F a residual diminished 6th, 1/12 comma wide.

http://www.larips.com

Brad Lehman