Hi All Did I touch a nerve here or what? To clarify things a bit, I tune historical temperaments every day on harpsichords and am sensitive to the differences in temperaments. The fortepiano I tune that tunes real well is a Bakemann Copy of something owned by Elisabeth Wright. It is not very big, about the same size as a double harpsichord. I have never had any trouble any time with this instrument. It tunes just fine and I can put it in equal temperament or a not so equal temperament and the results are just as you would expect. I don't remember exactly what Bilson was playing. It was an original and had been restored. He said it was a very good instrument and seemed happy enough with it. I should make clear that when he was here we moved his fortepiano at least 6 times. By the last day his piano was going bananas and Bilson was getting tired from playing and tuning and re-tuning again and again. I move and tune all the harpsichords for all the recitals here at IU. I deal with all the things that harpsichords do when moved, or just freaking out from the weather. But I dread fortepianos. If I have the time, I can make a fortepiano do its thing, but they take a lot more time than a harpsichord or a modern piano and the results are the least dependable of the three. On the other hand, the people who play them are usually impressed with the way the action feels and how this affects the interpretation of the music. The action, along with the sound, (when it is at its best) are the reasons people play them. I would also say these may be the same reasons the instruments were improoved until we have what we do today. With kind regards, -Phil + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Phil Sloffer + + psloffer@indiana.edu + + Indiana University + + School of Music + + Bloomington Indiana + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
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