Re: [tuning] Re: Microtonal recorder.Paul

In a message dated 4/19/02 4:23:31 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
paul@stretch-music.com writes:

> given that you present this very reasonable argument above, i wonder
> why you've expressed so much negativity toward patrick ozzard-low's
> and george secor's ideas of wind instruments designed to play in
> alternate tunings. it would seem the very same argument you give
> above could be applied in support of such developments.
>
> your response?

Well, you are injecting negativity right now, no? Oh to answer your
question...

About 20 years ago Hugh Davies visited NYC from London to do the "microtonal
instruments" article for the Grove Dictionary. In our conversations it came
to my attention that only special instruments were to be considered.
Somehow, it didn't seem fair to me. The bassoon was completely microtonal,
and yet was to be neglected as a microtonal instrument. Okay, this is done
through technique and not hardware, but it is dishonest to the point, which
is that we already have microtonal instruments. Hugh Davies recognized this
for himself and added a paragraph about the microtonal recorder playing of
Tui St. George Tucker, the microtonal flute of Stefani Starin, and the
microtonal bassoon.

Re George Secor, I don't believe I have ever engaged him about instruments,
only about notation. As for Patrick Ozzard-Low, I have helped him on his
visits and with his interests. It's just that people don't appreciate what
is already before them, missing it completely sometimes. The cello is a
fully microtonal instrument: should we put something else on it? Brads?
Ratio Indications? We could. We could go out and paint trees different
colors as well.

Sure there is work to be done in new instruments, but it seems little is
understood about the ones we already have. Like you, Paul, I like to focus
people on to things that I think are more fruitful to improving present day
awareness and receptivity to the power of tuning. We just do it in different
ways.

Best, Johnny Reinhard