Historical Temperaments

[Farrell]

Can anyone recommend a reading (or other educational) source for BASIC
information on historical temperaments (i.e. what are they, where did they
evolve from, what effects do they have on music pieces, etc.). I have looked
hi and low, but have yet to find good HT 101 -type info. Anyone?

Terry Farrell
Piano Tuning & Service
Tampa, Florida
mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Jorgensen" <Michael.Jorgensen@cmich.edu>
To: <Pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, April 10, 2000 9:20 AM
Subject: Theory Lecture on Temperaments


> Hello List,
>      This morning I lectured on temperaments to three sections of music
> theory.  Before telling the students anything and with no signs on the
> pianos,  I compared the quasi pure triads and thirds of meantone with
> those of equal temperament and asked the music students which they
> preferred.   In two of three sections the class laughed at the ET triads
> considering them to be grossly out of tune.  Others gave funny looks as
> they compared these.  They all laughed when I told them that is how all
> professional technicians including myself tune most of the time.  (All
> were freshly tuned pianos).  A few from the 9:00am  class preferred the
> ET triads.  I think the faster fifths of MT were the reason as they
> changed their mind when I just played the thirds.  All were shocked at
> the MT wolf intervals which I played only after the classes had voted
> for the MT.
>     I also used the RCT Pianalizer to demonstrate inharmonicity and the
> need for octave stretch. I taught them how every interval on the entire
> piano is completely out of tune (tempered) including octaves and
> explained why.
>      I believe all music students should be exposed to the realities of
> tuning as they can learn to play better with pianos and other
> instruments of fixed pitch.  It also answers giant questions about our
> system of notation and why it evolved as it has.  My demonstration
> included pianos in well, equal and meantone.
>     The pianos will be on display for a while so that all faculty and
> students may sample these temperaments.  I look forward to their
> comments.
>
> It was fun
> -Mike Jorgensen  RPT
> Central Michigan University School of Music.
>
>