Rules for Well Temperament

[Billbrpt@aol.com]

In a message dated 98-02-07 04:02:16 EST, you write:

<<   Tuning The Historical Temperaments By Ear
                                         OWEN JORGENSEN
  >>
Thank you so much, Paul for taking the time to copy and post this very
valuable information.  I believe all those who believe that only ET can serve
all music and is useful in all keys shoul read the first two lines:

<<pages 246-7-7

1.Each tonality or key center should sound differently and should have its
own
distinct color characteristics or "Affekt." This is in direct opposition to
the ideals of equal temperament in which all tonalities have the same
identical neutral color
except for increasing or decreasing beat speeds. The purpose of well
temperament is to allow harmonic color-change through modulation.

2.The same as in equal temperament, one must be able to modulate freely in
all possible keys without experiencing any unacceptable out-of-tune wolf
sounds. >>

   There is, in my view, absolutely no reason that a good, well designed WT
for the modern piano cannot be freely and ethically substituted for an ET in
any given situation.  Especially in light of the undeniable fact that few of
those who insist that ET is the "normal" or even "common law"  (Ha! Ha!, what
a joke!) temperament ever even really get it truly "equal".

Bill Bremmer RPT
Madison, Wisconsin