I don't think it's a matter which temperament is better as arguments could be made for or against any type of temperament. Keep in mind that ET has one strong advantage over all other temperaments and that is it's flexibility in allowing composers many more possibilities for modulations and harmony. From a pianists perspective, it allows a great amt. of music which will be useable for them. Does ET take away from the purity of some intervals? Sure, a bit. But not enough to loose sleep over. I still say a good tasteful ET done with the appropriate musical stretch can rank with anything out there. I, for one, have been through the whole gamut of temperaments. There was my ET only phase, then my HT phase, and now I'm back to almost the ET phase...with an occasional HT thrown in. I do think it's very important to expose customers to HT, if nothing more than to teach and demonstrate how tuning has evolved. I've done a fair amt. of HT for budding pianists as a way to illustrate what some of the earlier composers were thinking and dealing with when writing in that mode. I use this as a teaching moment and will take pieces like the Moonlight Sonata, or any of the Chopin Nocturnes and explain what those key signatures sound like in a HT mode. Then explain to them that in order to get the right affect, the composers had to break up the chord in an arpeggiated segment in order not to sound offensive. But say what you like, almost all my customers who have asked for HT in the past, have all asked to go back to ET from this point forward. Just my experience. Tom Servinsky ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Ilvedson" <ilvey at sbcglobal.net> To: <pianotech at ptg.org> Sent: Saturday, June 06, 2009 11:09 PM Subject: Re: [pianotech] Temperaments...again > Because you want it to sound better, therefore it does. For me...it > doesn't > > David Ilvedson, RPT > Pacifica, CA 94044 > > ----- Original message ---------------------------------------- > From: KeyKat88 at aol.com > To: pianotech at ptg.org > Received: 6/6/2009 3:50:25 PM > Subject: [pianotech] Temperaments...again > > >>Greetings, >> >> I tuned my old upright to the Werckmeister III...and I am sorry >>(or maybe I am not) but I absolutely LOVE it. Everything sound so much >>better!... Beethoven sounds SO SO much more in tune! Is it me or what? >>I purchased Ross's book: How ET ruined harmony and have not begun reading >>it yet (saving it as a reward for passing the last RPT exam) ...so ...my >>mind >>certainly isnt bent or predjudice against ET (yet) from reading the book. >>I >>think I am growing a distaste for ET all by myself. >> >>Why does everything sound more in tune? >> >>Julia Gottshall >>Reading, PA >>**************Stay connected and tighten your budget with a great mobile >>device for under $50. Take a Peek! >>(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100122638x1221845911x1201401556/aol?redir=ht >>tp://www.getpeek.com/aol) >
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