Re: Greek theory

Paul: M. L. West deconstructed KS in "Ancient Greek Music" by showing
that the auloi she studied the most had visibly unequal spaces between
holes. On the other hand, I've seen ethnic instruments with equal-sized,
equally spaced holes. It's certainly possible that something like KS's
harmoniai are to be found in non-European musics. The idea is certainly
testable with current technology such as Can Akkoc's.

Aristoxenos claims that the aulos was very hard to play in tune and was
bored for 3/4-tone intervals. West gives a couple of examples where this
is true on extant or replica instruments. Others yield different
intervals, but none obviously approximate any of her harmoniai.
Unfortunately, we know next to nothing about performance techniques --
auletes may have bent pitches to all sorts of scales and modes.

At least on the basis of KS's evidence, I'm not convinced they were ever
part of Greek music.

Anyway, whether Greek music or not, Schlesinger's scales are worth
listening to and composing with, but the only one I know of who has done
much with them is Warren Burt, though I imagine a lot of us have tried them.

--John