Theory vs. Practice

The recent "pop in microtones" issue is one I had planned to avoid, since it
seemed that any contribution I could make would be destructive. But, maybe
I've found a way...

There is a difference between compositional models and methods of
performance. Musicians will always play things differently between one
another, and between performances. My high school choir sang in crappy
5-limit JI. The only things that play in 12:2 equal are a few pianos, some
guitars, and many synthesizers. No band, choir, or orchestra performs in
12-tone. Why do you think piano concertos sound so bad?

Actually, all music is microtonal (unless it's played on a hammond organ or
a very special additive synthesizer) because of the harmonics! Yeah!

The point of JI is that it offers an expanded compositional model. Music
composed in such a model will no doubt be played in all sorts of ways by the
musicians of the future. An understanding of tuning is not a prerequisite
for playing this music, as DFinnamore@aol.com suggests; our future musicians
will be making more powerful music because it will be based on a more
powerful model.

If we can agree that there is a difference between re-tuning music made for
100 cent equal, as powerful a model and good-sounding a tuning as it is, and
playing music made for 7+ limit Just Intonation, however embellished, then
maybe we can be free to appreciate the excellent musicianship that thrives
in every idiom the world over.

Carl

Postscript: I get more milage from BBshop than Mr. Szanto, and I'm
wondering what "4tet fan" means.



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From: alves@orion.ac.hmc.edu
Subject: Re: pop and tunings
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