AW.: Re: AW.: Re: missed by the unimaginative (Ives on tuning)

Ives does indeed indicate a variety of tunings in the sketches and memos for
the Universe Symphony, any interpretation of those indications will meet with
contraditictions. An interpretation of "perfectly tuned correct scales" as
pythagorean is just as reasonable as one with a five-limit JI, and "a scale
of overtones" could be just such a just intonation or, in keeping with the
rhythmic proportions explored in the US, an extended JI with a higher limit.

It remains true that he nowhere specifies a tuning for The Unanswered
Question.

The Charles Ives aesthetic has always been towards disonance and a 5-limit JI
intonation would be contradictory. Remember Ives references to the
"sissy-eared"?

Perhaps love of a particular tuning implies a certain biasis for it. This
could be as extreme as to ascribe it to particular music of the past. The
AFMM is interstylistic and I am a polymicrotonalist (without perfect pitch).
I only want to be honest as to the intentions of the composer. To conceive
of Charles Ives in 5-limit JI is to impose upon the wishes of the composer,
and to contradict his aesthetic impulse (IMHO).

The Unanswered Question is merely a piece that supports this thesis. 5-limit
JI would create more of a gel between the strings, the winds, and the
soloist. Their different and distinct tempi are further emphasized by the
extended Pythagorean tuning.

Johnny Reinhard

Johnny Reinhard