Dad agonized over the term "Well Temperament." He was unsuccessful in his search for accurate and simple alternatives which were grammatically pleasing. The word "Well" was retained as there is no other single word which appropriately translates the german word "Wohl". Words such as good, fine, healthy, nice, pleasing, favorable, do not carry exactly the same shade(s) of meaning or connotation. The term "Well Tempered Clavier" is the universally accepted term in our language for that collection of works. Dad wanted to help dispel confusion created by some textbooks of the last century, (twentieth century), which confused equal temperament with well temperament and assumed the WTC was composed for ET. The term "Well temperament" is a noun which received its' name partly to maintain consistency with the other accepted names of temperaments such as equal temperament or meantone temperament. I believe names can be exempted from grammatical rules. -Mike Jorgrensen Stephen Birkett wrote: > > "Well temperament" is a grammatical corruption - I believe OJ is > responsible for this usage in modern English - of the (historical) German > adjectival expression "well tempered". Hence Bach's work is the "well > tempered clavier". Using "well" as an adjective in the expression "well > temperament" is regarded by many as highly grating on the grammatical > ear. Historically these temperaments were known as "circulating > temperaments". > > Stephen > > Stephen Birkett Fortepianos > Authentic Reproductions of 18th and 19th Century Pianos > 464 Winchester Drive > Waterloo, Ontario > Canada N2T 1K5 > tel: 519-885-2228 > mailto: birketts@wright.aps.uoguelph.ca
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC