Tale of the Unknown Island

I've just finished reading the story, Tale of the Unknown Island, by Jose Saramago... i see a strong analogy not only with the lack of interest in the musical possibilites of alternate tuning systems, but with the general idea of "impossibility of innovation" among musicians today... i find it really, thoroughly sad that there is almost no interest in developing the aspect of pitch in music, all instrument and acoustic scientists only seem to be interested in justifying the use of 12tet and how it should be achieved. Even among the most open minded and experimenting artists, there is more interest in _avoiding_ pitch as a perceptual aspect at all rather than developing and exploring the fundamental nature of harmonic perception...

-=-=-=-=-=-=-
MATS �LJARE
http://www.angelfire.com/mo/oljare
_________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.

--- In tuning@y..., "Mats Öljare" <oljare@h...> wrote:
> I've just finished reading the story, Tale of the Unknown Island,
by Jose
> Saramago... i see a strong analogy not only with the lack of
interest in the
> musical possibilites of alternate tuning systems, but with the
general idea
> of "impossibility of innovation" among musicians today... i find it
really,
> thoroughly sad that there is almost no interest in developing the
aspect of
> pitch in music, all instrument and acoustic scientists only seem to
be
> interested in justifying the use of 12tet and how it should be
achieved.
> Even among the most open minded and experimenting artists, there is
more
> interest in _avoiding_ pitch as a perceptual aspect at all rather
than
> developing and exploring the fundamental nature of harmonic
perception...

AMEN Mats! It is a sad state of affairs. Even though it will bring
that "here we go again response", I must say that the only thing I
think will ever change this, is something that our "Patron Saint"
Harry Partch used to preach: We need significant bodies of musical
works. Without this, we will never see the yoke of the 12 tET
oppressor removed from the necks of the masses, and our beloved and
beautiful theories will remain in obscurity. The tough thing is how
one must wear many hats in this. Theory alone will achieve nothing
but the perpetuation of more theory, but when it is "projected into
time" in the final form of lasting works of profound musical art,
that's when most folks who listen to music for music's sake, and
don't give a hoot about the theory will begin to pay attention.
Otherwise it's all just a hurricane of papers blowing about. It's
the "Projection into Time" that is the hard part for most.

Our Mission is clear.

Jacky Ligon