Historical temperamentals (longer)

[Billbrpt@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 8/11/99 10:04:39 AM Pacific Daylight Time, you write:

<< What do you call a temperament that specifies all fifths to
 be tempered in such a maner that they are musically the same?  >>

This is called, "Meantone".  It is the name that scares everyone away but ET, 
in fact, is a Meantone Temperament, a 1/11 Syntonic Meantone, or a 1/12 
Ditonic Meantone.  In either case, all of the 5ths are supposed to be exactly 
alike.

If there is an error, it can be heard that one of the 5ths beats to fast or 
too slow in comparison with the others.  An error will also affect the 
beating of 3rds and 6ths.  I'm afraid that only a piano technician will make 
the statement, "Hey, this is not ET!"  Virtually no one else is likely to 
have the expertise to know the difference.  A musician will only complain 
about musicality in a more subjective way.

Bill Bremmer RPT