TUNING digest 1132

Hi gang-
I received my first tuning digest in over a week so I don't know if
my previous post was received. I'll restate breifly.
Forum members, do you have recommended microtonal listening lists,
either hot new or classic and essential? I would like to add your
suggestions to the Recommended Listening section of my Microtonal Music
page (http://www-math.cudenver.edu/~jstarret/microtone.html). The first
(and so far only entry) is John Loffink's recommended list.
I am still soliciting microtonal MIDI for my background music (John
Sankey's Bach in Werckmeister III is the current MMM). If you have any,
I would welcome an attached file.
I am also still looking for essays, opinions and instructions on
microtonal music for inclusion as Notes on Microtonality. I welcome
contributions in Word, Word Perfect plain text or HTML. No opinion too
crazy!
Finally, I heard Bobby McFerrin doing his Circle Songs on the
Sessions at West 54th telivision show. His group, consisting of 5 men
and 5 women did an hour of completely improvised vocal music. The
performance was joyous and spiritual (in the sense that they were filled
with the spirit of the music) and it couldn't help but be microtonal.
McFerrin would start out with a riff, and through a sequence of
handoffs to other singers, build a complete musical structure over which
he and others would solo. Through subtle conducting he
directed the musicians through the piece, developing the music then
bringing it to a satisfying conclusion. This stuff is really first
rate, and it goes on my recommended list. It was interesting to hear
the differences in pitch set choices made by the different soloists.
Bobby seemed to consistently sharp his fifth and use a wide minor
seventh, while another member slightly flatted his fifths, and used minor
sevenths approaching 7/4.

John Starrett



$AdditionalHeaders: Received: from ns.ezh.nl by notesrv2.ezh.nl (Lotus SMTP MTA v1.1 (385.6 5-6-1997)) with SMTP id C12564DB.0028AFAF; Mon, 21 Jul 1997 09:24:24 +0200

Haverstick here...there's been a few comments about my recent posts, so I
thought I could explain myself. First, I do not have the time or
inclination to simply make posts to piss folks off...if I say it, I
definitely feel it. I do not make "veiled references"...I see no point in
mentioning the names of folks whose music I don't care for, because it is
NOT a personal issue with me. A person's character is not dependent on
their musical abilities...and yes, Beardsley, I DO have lofty standards,
and I don't see that as a bad thing. I expect a lot out of folks, and
that means me first. I have worked hard for many years to play my axe,
and I continue to do so. Thus, if I hear someone doodling instead of
playing, I am gonna call it straight. And, unfortunately, there IS a lot
of noodling and doodling in the microtonal field...(truth be told,
there's a lot of crappy 12eq music too, so it ain't just the
microdoodlists who suck); so, I say practice, and get better...nothing
wrong with that, either. Constructive criticism is OK by me, and I
constantly solicit it for myself, as well...I still take guitar lessons
when I need to. Life is full of non musical lessons, as well, and there
seems to be no end to these.
Also, I love theory...I have many theories about many things too,
including tunings. I think Erv Wilson is a great genius, and I don't care
if he plays or not...same with the late Larry Hanson. Yes, I would like
to see more theories of tunings translated into great music; again,
what's wrong with that? Perhaps my method of delivery occasionally rubs
some folks the wrong way...OK, no problem, I do talk blunt. But, again, I
do NOT attack out of spite, or ego. It's all for the art of music, and I
do my best to keep the personal junk out of it. It is risky second
guessing someone's intentions from a computer screen, however; Sorry, Mr.
B, but you were wrong about everything you guessed about me. Often, when
a person assigns incorrect motives to another, they are seeing that
person through their own personal traits and perhaps that is what
Beardsley did here...it's pretty common...Hstick



$AdditionalHeaders: Received: from ns.ezh.nl by notesrv2.ezh.nl (Lotus SMTP MTA v1.1 (385.6 5-6-1997)) with SMTP id C12564DB.00280E07; Mon, 21 Jul 1997 09:17:30 +0200