Re: Re: Werckmeister revisited

In a message dated 2/6/00 3:57:01 AM Eastern Standard Time, djwolf@snafu.de
writes:

> The critical work for Werckmeister's use of ET is his 1697 _Hypomnemata
musica
> oder musicalisches Memorial_.
>
> Daniel Wolf

Werckmeister disagrees with ET in _Hypomnemata musica_. "Who, however, asks
for a temperament in which all consonant intervals are equal, must take care
that all fifths beat 1/12th of a comma downward, so that all major thirds
beat 2/3 of a comma and the minor third 3/4 of a comma.,.. So far, I have not
been able to agree with this view, because I prefer to keep the diatonic
notes which are used most often with the diatonic tonalities, as pure as
possible in tuning."

I have been tracking every possible reference to Werckmeister and they are
always unequal 12 for a full circle of keys. Werckmeister actually called
meantone tuning "Praetorian" after the composer that lived a hundred years
earlier than Andreas. History has called meantone "unequal" and essentially
usurped the "unequal" pedigree provided by Werckmeister (and others).
Whether this is a "cul de sac" or a missed opportunity is a question of
opinion.

Listening to all the music now available in Werckmeister's temperament on the
internet reinforces my appreciation for the characteristics of the individual
keys. In these things you will find me anti-Rameau.

Johnny Reinhard
AFMM