Bach-Werckmeister

Thought I'd respond to the myth that Andreas Werckmeister reversed himself on
his preference for his own chromatic tuning. Contrary to assertions posted
last year, recent research demonstrated W. was proud and confident of his
chromatic tuning, and that it was widely used throughout central Germany.

Last year it was postulated incorrectly that W. offered 12-tET as an
alternative tuning in his "Short Lesson and Addition, how one can tune and
temper well a clavier" which was tagged to his "The most necessary
Observations and Rules How the Bassus Continuus Or Thoroughbass can be well
treated And each who has just a little knowledge of music and the clavier can
learn it on his own."

This pamphlet was written for a green beginner. In it, W. suggests as a
start a rough tuning of 12 equally sized fifths, only to give further
directions for fine tuning well-tempered. After first making a joke at the
funny sound of the word the Dutch use for the comma, he writes that he
doesn't want to talk about the comma because it is complicated. W. referred
instead to his previously published monochords engraved in his "Musical
Temperament" for further details.

Werckmeister never endorsed equal temperament as an alternative to his
previously published monochords engraved in "Musical Temperament" (1691).

Even the posthumously published "Musical Paradox" (1707), published by W.'s
children to get some money, refers to "Musical Temperament" for temperament
specifics. In fact, most every work specifies "Musical Temperament" for
further interest in temperament. This is the reason that the 2nd edition of
W.'s "Orgel-Probe" left tuning specifics out. It is because W. has begun
what would become a tradition of referring to others books he had written for
further examination. Clearly he wanted all his books to be of continuous
value, and to be purchased.

Johnny Reinhard

Hi Johnny,

Thanks for the reports of your investigations about Werckmeister.
Since I still haven't read the original text of Musikalische
Paradoxal-Discourse myself and you have done so much research,
I would be inclined to take your word for it, if not for the fact
that Werckmeister compared equal temperament to true Christianity
in this book. Since he was very devote, I find this fact too
intriguing to ignore.
The _Musikalische Paradoxal-Discourse_ and _Harmonologia musica_
will appear in reprint in one volume by Laaber Verlag next summer.
The publisher wrote this to me in a letter after I had ordered it.
More info: http://www.laaber.de
When I receive this book, I'll get back to you.

Manuel

In a message dated 1/15/01 12:32:44 PM Eastern Standard Time,
manuel.op.de.coul@eon-benelux.com writes:

> equal temperament to true Christianity

I believe you will find the confusion due to the fact that equal temperament
meant equally useable keys throughout the full compass of the keyboard, for
the first time with Werckmeister. The distinctiveness of each key was of
less import than the ability to use 12 keys equally, but not identical.

Johnny Reinhard