crystal soundboards....Bill B. (was "temperaments")

[Billbrpt@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 3/27/99 2:07:40 PM Central Standard Time,
btrout@desupernet.net writes:

<< I hope you won't be offended by my post, but I would like to respectfully
 disagree.  I did fly off the handle a bit the other night with a post about
 temperaments, and I apologize for my lack of tact and a bad attitude.  But
those
 are some pretty big statements considering the company you are in. >>

And so were yours.  It is only another example of how the issues of
temperament have become emotional for many people, technicians and piano
owners/users, alike.  I was not, in fact responding to your "Temperaments..."
post, nor did I even have it in mind.

I do appreciate your point of view and know by what you write that you are one
of the aural tuning minority that really can tune a good ET consistently.  If
I had to attend a music rehearsal with a piano tuned by you, I'm sure that I
would find it not only tolerable, but pleasant to listen to.

I respect those who adhere to ET because they believe in it and know how to
tune it.  You are the very first aural tuner who tunes ET exclusively that I
know of wwho has even gotten close to acknowledging what Reverse Well is.  One
cannot claim to "know" or "understand" about HT's unless those have been a
part of usual practice.  One needs to be acquainted with the different music
styles of the 17th through the 20th Centuries and how any given HT might
affect each of them, through years of experience, to make that claim. 

 You can't just claim that you tried it once or even a few times, didn't like
it and hastily returned to the beloved and almighty ET, citing the word
"Historical" as being a reason why *only* ET is acceptable.  It won't convince
me or any other HT practitioner of anything even if it might seem reasonable
to those who have no other experience.  To me, the most valuable lesson that
the HT's may have taught you is that you at least know when your temperament
really isn't equal at all and far worse, is some kind of backwards rendering
of an HT.

There are many who don't know the difference and don't care either.  I just
ran into one late last week, tuned by a well-respected RPT.  I took the data
on it just to prove my point and will write it up later.  It happens "here,
there and everywhere"  (song cue).  No more time now, I'm off  to rehearse the
Verdi Requiem in ET and will enjoy every minute of it.

Bill Bremmer RPT
Madison, Wisconsin