Octaves (Paul E)

From: "Paul H. Erlich"

The fact that octaves are often not equal to 2, but slightly more than 2,
has nothing to do with harmonic series or inharmonic partials. The
effect is most pronounced when sine waves are used; I believe a large
experiment found that the average subject deemed two sine waves
equivalent when they differed by 1209 cents. The typical 2nd harmonic of
a piano string is more like 1203 cents.

I recently saw an interesting statement on a pretty reputable web page,
which I found by following links from John Starrett's page. It claimed
that the cochlea winds around once per octave. If this is true, a
stimulation at one point in the cochlea may have secondary effects on
parallel coils, and octave equivalence becomes a purely psychophysical,
not cultural, phenomenon. Those of us who have tried to appeal to the
universality of octave equivalence across cultures have been unable
convince others among us that octave equivalence is not mere
brainwashing. This, if true, may be another quiver in our arrow. We
would hope that the true coiling rate, or the interval of gretest
cross-stimulation, is 1209 cents rather than 1200 cents, as it would
provide a direct explanation for the results of most experiments on the
truly "equivalent" octave.

Anyone know any physiological evidence for or against this statement?

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>So, open strings
>were normal technique for classical pieces, and used as special effects for
>new music. Kolisch believed that he was maintaining traditional Viennese
>technique.

As another aside, that depends quite a bit on which instrument you're
talking about. In the viola chapter he added to Yehudi Menuin's violin
book, the pivotal early-1900s violist William Primrose characterized the
open strings as the treasure of the viola sound.

I would imagine also that that is largely a violin-only thing, based
upon the time periods you mentioned. Why? In the classical period, the
stridency of the modern (usually) solid-steel E-string was a thing of the
future, and for the violin only.

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