pianotech-digest V2000 #923

[JStan40@AOL.COM]

> Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2000 13:19:40 -0200
> From: Clark <caccola@net1plus.com>
> Subject: Blast from the past
> 
> > The commendable disposition shown by the people of this metropolis, 
> > for encouraging an extension and improvement of the Musical Scale of 
> > Keyed Instruments (for with voices and violins &c. Mr. Liston's scale 
> > always has and always will be in use)...seems in a particular manner 
> > to have alarmed the German Organist Mr. Kollman, for the fate of his 
> > modern "scale of nature" [equal temperament], or 12 sounds only in 
> > the Octave, placed at equal distances, on which his "new Theory" 
> > appears entirely built, that he so pompously and incessantly compares 
> > with the best writings of British Musicians, to their disadvantage, 
> > in his _Quarterly Review_; which "wonderful compound of twelve Dia-
> > tonic Chormatic Enharmonic Scales in one!" [Equal temperament], it is 
> > admitted by Mr. K. must be abolished, as the first consequence of the 
> > establishment of the "artificial Temperaments" [just intonation and 
> > the meantone temperaments] of Hawkes, Loeschman, and Liston!, and 
> > therefore, he takes especial pains to cry them all down as useless 
> > and absurd.
> >
> > What a lamentable case! that the progress of Science and Improvement 
> > in one of the most delightful of arts, should render the sale less 
> > certain, of the voluminous works of this profound Theorist!, who, to 
> > the honour, or disgrace rather of the age, broadly asserts, that 
> > violins, violincellos, and voices, ought not to make any difference 
> > between A-flat and G-sharp, D-flat and C-sharp, &c.!!, but should use, 
> > "as nearly equal a temperament as possible," or in other words, 
> > "follow the (his) true standard scale, on which all modern music 
> > depends." Not doubting but the scientific and demonstrable principles 
> > advanced in the _Essay on perfect Intonation_ [by Henry Liston], 
> > will make their way, confirmed as they are in every case, by an 
> > appeal to experiment, unimpeded by such antiquated and unphilo-
> > sophical, not to say interested, opposition, as that I have been 
> > alluding to.
> 
>     - Farey, John (sr.), "Further Remarks on the Rev. Mr. Liston's 
>       "Essay on perfect Intonation," 1812. p.421 (from Owen 
>       Jorgensen's "Tuning", p.380)
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
Clark!

Love it!  Absolutely delicious!  THANKS!

Stan Ryberg
Barrington IL