HT Experience

[Richard Moody]

----- Original Message -----
From: <A440A@AOL.COM>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2000 8:14 PM
Subject: Re: HT Experience


>    A point I will repeat is that throughout history, intonation has
changed.
> These changes,to a large degree, are driven by technology.  Large changes
>in  intonation often follow hard on the heels of some new instrument or
> knowledge.

That is how I view ET.  Historically ET was desired as a tuning or
intonation if you will, but the technology to tune it was not developed
until ca 1870.  We have the writings of Montal from 1838 that describe ET
almost.   It wasn't until 1860's when Helmholtz discovered the relation of
harmonics to the intonation or tuning of intervals, ie coincident partials,
that ET as we know it could be implemented, or rather "proved".
     However attempts at ET came much earlier than Helmholtz and Montal.
The simple fact that tuning each of the 5ths a little flat in the circle of
fifths so there would be no wolf, was probably known since the conception of
Meantone which was in the 1400's. (?)  Since the Pythagorean comma was
known, (400 bc ?)  it must have been concluded that a flattening of those
fifths would result in a "perfect circle" of 5ths that yielded a perfect
octave.  Indeed Aristoxenes shortly after Pythagoras is reported to have
proposed a common demonator ( twelth root of two?) for each of the notes of
a 12 tone scale.  That the Greeks argued  whether a simple mathimatical
ratio represented "beauty" or beauty existed in more complex ratios.  Anyhow
it is reported that Aristoxenes said, "judge beauty by what you hear, ie the
ear, rather than a mathmatical fromula"  or something to that effect.
    Now getting back to the point Ed made, "intonation has changed."  I can
see that as a culmination of the ability to tune to ET.  Modern orchestra
woodwinds, reeds and brass instruments are built and tuned to ET.  If you
study the development of musical instrumenets you might wonder how they
tuned flutes in the beginning. The problem also presented itself with
fretted stringed instrumenets.  The lute for example demanded a
"proportional" spacing of the frets, or else certain chords would sound out
of tune.  Sounding two notes at once so they sound pleasing is the key to
intonation.  Think how two bamboo flutes could be made so they could be
played together in harmony.   Think how early pipe organs could have only 8
pipes to a diatonic octave and have all of those notes sound in harmony.
Two or more pipes sounding together "hath charm" until you try to play a
certain fifth.  Why was this?   With keyboard instruments "intonation"
needed to be modified somehow or the notes "tempered" to produce an
acceptible harmony. I like to think ET was desired but difficult to get so
all the other temperments  execpt Meantone were developed to make it easier.
Kind of like black and white was developed before color and now every one
wants color.  Or Stereo from Hi Fi.   Who wants to go back to Hi Fi? No one.
Who wants to go back to black and white?  OK  some do and I can see
.     ---ric






It has been so for a long time and I expect that to continue.
> Thus, ET will be joined by its historical brethren and pianos,as a whole,
> will sport a new allure.  At least, that's the way I could idealize the
whole
> thing........
..................
>    I also think ET will be the standard for comparison for a while.
> Regards,
> Ed Foote