Richard writes: <<I wonder if you might point me to the most important reading in this monster book regarding this Temperament. I have a month and a half to get this more or less together. That is plenty of time to grasp the context. I suggest that you read chapt. 20 first, it provides an overview of what you are getting into. Then you can just mine the book for whatever you want to pursue. It is important to listen to these tunings and become familiar with how they "feel" with certain composers. The color has been turned on and Beethoven doesn't show the same alterations in the older tuning that Bach does. >I am sure the tuning part will go ok, I just want to be able to carry on a reasonably educated discussion on the subject matter if the need be... and no doubt the need will be.. >> Unquestionably. This is one of the coolest returns on the time and effort you will expend in the next six week immersing yourself in another tonal world. You will quickly know far more about some things than anybody around you, and if you properly introduce the subject, without threatening anybody into a protective corner, you may find yourself with a flock. That's right. A flock that wants to follow your intonational adventure. A tuning guru, if you want to be. Being able to say "I don't know yet" is an important response when you are asked questions that go deeper than your experience, ( and it does happen, I was asked where the word "syntonic" came from at the National Convention. I dunno, anybody?). I suppose the best advice I ever got was from Bill Garlick, who said, "Remember, there is nothing to support any dogmatic stance when it comes to temperaments". So, read up, tune up. listen etc. And enjoy bringing a new perspective on old familiar music. The pianists that 'get it' will thank you forever. Good luck, Ed Foote RPT
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