Hearing the difference

[Richard Brekne]

Richard Moody wrote:
> 
> >  The claim it makes is purely a subjective opinion and has no real basis in fact, because the
> >question about the ability of temperaments to influence music composition
> >and/or experience has never been really explored thoroughly.
> > ..The result is that we just plain dont know whether temperaments have
> > influenced music history or not.
> >
> 
> Yes, that is my point exactly.
> "No evidence, no history", as Charles Beard said.  No evidence has
> been presented that temperament influenced music history or
> composition, and nothing on "color", because there is none to be
> found in the original sources. 


Richard, my point is that this fact works both ways. We can neither
confirm or deny these claims as to temperament influence. Especially,
given the fact that we havent even really established whether or not we
who are alive today can be affected by different temperements.

If we want to get any closer to solveing that mystery, then perhaps
finding out just how, why and when a change in temperements effect those
of us living, listening and composing music today would be a good place
to start. 

So far we have only the loose experiements and experiences of folks like
Ed to go on. And informal as these might be, I think we have to aggree
they point in the direction of temperement influence, and not the
opposite.

Be that as it may, there is indeed really no serious research in these
directions that I know of.

Cheers

RicB



> 
> > The fact that you can put 10 high quality pianists in a room
> > with 10 different temperaments and find that they can not really hear
> > the difference when someone plays them doesnt really say very much.
> 
> To me it says temperament doen't matter much.  --rm
> 

With all due respect Ric, it dont matter a whoot what your personal
thoughts are on the matter... facts... what ever they may be, remain
what they are despite our thoughts or opinions. And the fact is the
above postulate says nothing at all about what listeners are potentially
capable of.  You wouldnt say that putting 10  six year olds in a room
and observing that none of them could read notes means that notes are
meaningless would you ?

Cheers

RicB



-- 
Richard Brekne
RPT, N.P.T.F.
UiB, Bergen, Norway
mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no
http://home.broadpark.no/~rbrekne/ricmain.html