Last word on the term 'microtone' (from me)

Common sense is all that is asked for.

microcosm: an organism or organization regarded as a world in *miniature*
microfilm: film on which documents, etc. are photographed in *reduced size*
for convenience
microcomputer: a very *small* computer containing a central processing unit...

...and on and on. It doesn't matter to me if people want to make up new
terms, words, or acronyms for that which they do, or to describe that which
exists. In ignoring common linguistic derivations, however, and redefining
for one's own purposes (noble as they might be) the most expected result
will be confusion.

I doubt there is more of a center of the universe for the bagel than NYC.
Imagine if I, on the other hand, started trying to convince people that
bagels not only referred to those delicious boiled-then-baked breads, but
also to what they think of as doughnuts, and pretzels, and scones. It
doesn't make the world a better place, it just devalues the meaning of the
word "bagel".

I'm not making any threats, and only use passionate language to show the
depth of frustration at the lack of progress; "Shooting from the hip",
Johnny calls it. And no, to answer the question, I am not a
"microtonalist". I am, and have always been, a musician; no other term
better suits what I do or who I am. And as for taking risks for art, I have
no problem with that and do it all the time myself; OTOH, jumping out of a
plane with no parachute is taking a risk as well, a very stupid risk. If
you don't believe people do stupid things, check out
<http://www.darwinawards.com/>

One last definition I came across:
micrology: the discussion or study of trivial matters or petty differences

Discuss. Or don't.

Cheers,
Jon
`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`
Jonathan M. Szanto : Corporeal Meadows - Harry Partch, online.
jszanto@adnc.com : http://www.corporeal.com/
`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`

Well, I certainly stirred up a hornet's nest with my views on the meaning of
"microtonal." I am contrite for any bad feelings I encouraged by what must
be a bit unorthodox, or lacking common sense.

Truly, I would never have wanted to do produce a concert series with the
moniker "microtonal" in its legal registration. Though my own music is
self-described as "polymicrotonal," it began years after the AFMM began. It
was the interstylistic weave for a concert that would give the program a
proposed festival air.

The American part of the name was the result of a meeting between Jon Catler,
Dean Drummond, and myself in 1980. My plan was to have a New York Festival
of Microtonal Music. Since Dean had already planned on a similar title, and
had seniority in our view, I spoke up and said we would use American
(probably thinking of a National and an American league as in baseball). It
was out of respect, and yet a refusal to capitulate, that the Introductory
concert took place on May 7, 1981. The program sported pieces by Ockegam and
Gesualdo in non-12, as well as quartertones, & 31-tone music.

If the program was to take off, we would hold a Premiere concert in the
coming Fall, and did. I still truly do not believe that limiting the term
"microtonal" to only intervals smaller than a semitone when there is no solid
term for the important larger intervals is "common sense" but I will make
this the Last word on the term 'microtone' (from me)-at least for awhile.

Johnny Reinhard
AFMM