[CAUT] The Origins of P12ths tuning.

[Richard Brekne]

Hi Fred, others.

Just got back from the Nordic Piano Convention which had me away for a 
few days. I see this general thread has continued to generate lots of 
interest. Indeed, I got a very nice note from Gary himself over the 
weekend and found that whilst in Danmark I was in the company of a 
couple of his old friends.  Anne Garee and Bob Marinelli.  Chris Soliday 
and his wife Dona were here as well. We had a very nice time of it 
actually. I should say hello to one and all !

As to this business about who did what where.  To which degree there is 
or isn't prior knowledge out there as to the Stopper implementation of a 
Perfect 12ths tuning, has never been in question. An implementation, and 
the discovery of an idea itself are two completely different matters 
however. It is clear from very much reading that the idea of tuning 
Perfect 12ths has been around for quite some time, and that various 
people were on to a more specific implementation through the past 30 
years or so. Patenting a musical comma in the general sense... well not 
to put to sharp a point on it... the Pythagorean Comma Patent  ? The 
point is the legal water gets muddy real quick. Such is the nature of 
this kind of thing and why it is IMHO much better to avoid such waters 
to begin with.

Linda makes a nice point, and a rare and delightful appearance echoing 
points I think Fred had more or less expounded on quite well earlier on. 
I'd like to comment on that and a couple other posts later on this 
evening. Lots of nice stuff about Gary's Stuff... and surrounding 
themes.  Ed raises an excellent point that runs nicely parallel I think 
to Linda and Fred.  We (and by no means this generation alone) often get 
wrapped up in the latest <<tuning scheme>>, impressed by it and use it 
for years... only to move onto something else... loosing sight of the 
fact that there is no one right way or method.  There is only how well 
you succeeded in meeting your own expectations.

Cheers
RicB