Re: Novaro

Xavier: Thanks for the Jesus Bernal URL. I'm a fan of Novaro too. BTW,
he also wrote a short work around 1927 which Mark Rankin was able to
track down at the Library of Congress ( ML3805.N69). It's titled"
Systema Natural base del Natura-Aproximado." Among other treasures, it
includes a scale identical to the 9-limit Tonality Diamond, constructed
from the union of all 'modes' of the series 1/1 9/8 5/4 3/2 7/4 2/1 plus
a couple of "secondary ratios" 16/15 and 21/20 and their inversions to
produce a 23-tone scale.

In Systema Natural de la Musica, he even describes his invention of a
mechanical finger to play the keyboard. Truly a remarkable inventor.

--John

It was the 1953 book that I saw in Carrillo's home.

My understanding is that Novaro self-published his books, even setting the type himself.

Carrillo became very well-connected in Mexican society-- he was invited to play violin at some graduation ceremony and the President of Mexico got him a scholarship to study music in Europe. IIRC, it was at that period that he discovered the "13th tone." His son Nabor was head of the Mexican Atomic Energy Commission and Julia'n himself held important positions in Mexican musical life. I'm sorry that I don't recall the details of his life, but he came a long way from being a poor Indian boy in San Luis Poto'si.

--John