Ed's rant on temperament

[Billbrpt@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 3/13/99 3:31:00 PM Central Standard Time, A440A@AOL.COM
writes:

<< Greetings, 
      Ah,  the temperament skirmish warms again in front of us.   >>

The description you give of Jim's tuning is practically identical to the
tuning I do.  I have published aural instructions and given digital
information plenty of times.  Yet, I will be lost to history as the only one
who could or ever did do something like this?  Are you sure that Jim's tuning
isn't an interpretation of mine?

The authority to manipulate any interval or to alter someone else's idea to
suit one's own taste or the taste of a customer or artist comes from Owen
Jorgensen's research itself.  Since Owen was a *researcher*, he felt it was
important to practice what *had* been done as a demonstration, not what
*could* be done.  As much as he wanted to hear 20th Century music in the HT's,
he never did that publicly but he was thrilled when his students did.  

The Equal-beating Victorian Temperament I tune is as easy as pie to learn.  It
follows a classical pattern of 4ths and 5ths around the cycle of 5ths with a
3rd placed strategically to set the parameters.  It is called "Equal-Beating"
both because it follows the classical pattern where you make one interval beat
exactly the same as the other at several points in the sequence but also and
more importantly, it is absolutely *loaded* with Equal Beating triads and
other sequences of Equal Beating.  This gives the tuning an uncannily smooth,
harmonious and crisp sound.  Is it good for jazz?  Yes, indeed.

Bill Bremmer RPT
Madison, Wisconsin