Re: [tuning] comma shifts in performance {note cents & pitches]

In a message dated 10/29/02 2:43:49 PM Central Standard Time, Afmmjr@aol.com
writes:

> J.S. Bach lived in a specific place at a specific time and he made specific
> choices, if not finding the choices made for him by Thuringian
> institutions. For Bach's music, in order to get the most direct meaning, I
> am excited to hear his music in its purest form--which is second in
> epiphany only to playing it--which is in Werckmeister III.
>
> Johnny

Where comma shifts aren't acceptable, using a partial complex chord, such as
I suggested for IV-V7, would work in JI for music composed for WM III. As WM
III has the same chords, only with slighly different cent values, sn thus
slightly different pitches.

For example, JI Middle A is 431 Hz. Whereas, 12-ET M A is 440 Hz. In Western
and Central Europe Middle A varied from a low of 373.1 to a high of 567.3 Hz.
(On the Sensations of Tone, Helmholtz, pp. 495-504). Meantone M A from Handel
on was 422.5-474.2 Hz.; ET M A was 430.5-454.8 Hz. (ibid., pp. 490, 492). The
cents value for M A varied from 892-912 cents (ibid., p. 486). Thus those who
say a given note has to be an exact cents or pitch for a certain tuning don't
agree with history.

The pitch differences between Middle A JI 431, MT 422.5-474 and 430.5-454.8
Hz. don't suggest a given note has to have an exact pitch to properly
represent a composer's intentions. On the Johannus organ I play, when I shift
tuning from MT > WM III > ET, while I can detect a pitch change for a given
note, it's very small. Thus I have no problem at all musically of playing
Bach or anoy other composer in JI as opposed to MT, WM, or ET. Especially
since JI is the natural tuning. Whereas all other tunings are arbitaray
inventions with severe compromises.

Pauline

i am very eagerly awaiting johnny's reply to this!!

--- In tuning@y..., prophecyspirit@a... wrote:
> In a message dated 10/29/02 2:43:49 PM Central Standard Time,
Afmmjr@a...
> writes:
>
>
> > J.S. Bach lived in a specific place at a specific time and he
made specific
> > choices, if not finding the choices made for him by Thuringian
> > institutions. For Bach's music, in order to get the most direct
meaning, I
> > am excited to hear his music in its purest form--which is second
in
> > epiphany only to playing it--which is in Werckmeister III.
> >
> > Johnny
>
> Where comma shifts aren't acceptable, using a partial complex
chord, such as
> I suggested for IV-V7, would work in JI for music composed for WM
III. As WM
> III has the same chords, only with slighly different cent values,
sn thus
> slightly different pitches.
>
> For example, JI Middle A is 431 Hz. Whereas, 12-ET M A is 440 Hz.
In Western
> and Central Europe Middle A varied from a low of 373.1 to a high of
567.3 Hz.
> (On the Sensations of Tone, Helmholtz, pp. 495-504). Meantone M A
from Handel
> on was 422.5-474.2 Hz.; ET M A was 430.5-454.8 Hz. (ibid., pp. 490,
492). The
> cents value for M A varied from 892-912 cents (ibid., p. 486). Thus
those who
> say a given note has to be an exact cents or pitch for a certain
tuning don't
> agree with history.
>
> The pitch differences between Middle A JI 431, MT 422.5-474 and
430.5-454.8
> Hz. don't suggest a given note has to have an exact pitch to
properly
> represent a composer's intentions. On the Johannus organ I play,
when I shift
> tuning from MT > WM III > ET, while I can detect a pitch change for
a given
> note, it's very small. Thus I have no problem at all musically of
playing
> Bach or anoy other composer in JI as opposed to MT, WM, or ET.
Especially
> since JI is the natural tuning. Whereas all other tunings are
arbitaray
> inventions with severe compromises.
>
> Pauline