Victorian Tuning, "usual" or "best"?

Billbrpt@AOL.COM Billbrpt@AOL.COM
Mon, 22 Mar 1999 23:31:08 EST


In a message dated 3/22/99 7:41:33 PM Central Standard Time, A440A@AOL.COM
writes:

<< Greetings, 
 Bill writes: 
 > The word *best* indicates that it is closer to ET and thus has less
 >contrast or "color". 
 
 A small quibble here, but it is my understanding that "best"  derives from
the
 "best" tuner at Broadwood in 1885. Owen's book,  (page 552 in 'Tuning') 
  >>

Not to diminish the rest of what is said in your post but the reason he was
considered "best" is that his tunings were "more" equal, as they say.  The
"usual" has more definition, according to Skip.

It does show that tuning was gravitating *towards* ET but the sequences that
were used at the time still left the tunings unequal to some degree but
following the pattern and precedent of a true Well-Tempered Tuning.

Unfortunately, what happens today is that the typical sequence leaves the
temperament unequal but with errors either completely randomly placed or the
reverse of a WT.  This is what the modern tuner needs to be aware of and
strictly avoid.

Bill Bremmer RPT
Madison, Wisconsin


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