source file: mills2.txt Date: Sat, 26 Oct 1996 09:46:48 -0700 Subject: Re: TUNING digest 875 From: Johnny Reinhard In studying the issue of notation, I believe we are losing sight of the difference between 1)symbolic representation of on paper and 2) hearing interval relationships exactly. 12-tone ET notation does not guarantee that a player can _hear_ the exact relationships indiated on hard copy by convention. In fact, _professional_ playing involves alterations to an absolute for reasons of expressions (e.g. leadings, mellowings, nuances, resonances). Hard copy notation can never supplant actual internalizing of new intervals (more accurately presented in the mind than on paper). Re: Adam's comments: there is no just 4/5/6 triad in my string quartet Cosmic Rays. I suspect, having talked with Adam about this last spring, that the heterophonic "unason" on a Ptolemy-indicated Phrygian scale (c. 200 A.D. Alexandria) with its melodically outlined 5/4 of 386 cents was scalding in its perceived muddle. Not trying to make excuses for honest imperfections in a premiere performance, further performances better chiselled out delicate ensemble playing. I might suggest that a new composition rightfully "rifles" the expectations of listeners who have studiously researched that which already exists in music. The Ives _Universe_ reviews demonstrated to me the reality that each reviewer hears in an entirely different way. (Stunning, really, when compared to informed commentary by those more familiar with the sound product first hand.) Re: systems, I don't believe there is any virtue in sticking to a particular system of tuning, per se. Anyone care to comment? Johnny Reinhard American Festival of Microtonal Music 318 East 70th Street, Suite 5FW New York, New York 10021 USA (212)517-3550/fax (212) 517-5495 reinhard@ios.com Received: from ns.ezh.nl [137.174.112.59] by vbv40.ezh.nl with SMTP-OpenVMS via TCP/IP; Mon, 28 Oct 1996 16:06 +0200 Received: by ns.ezh.nl; (5.65v3.2/1.3/10May95) id AA17861; Mon, 28 Oct 1996 16:06:38 +0100 Received: from eartha.mills.edu by ns (smtpxd); id XA16626 Received: from by eartha.mills.edu via SMTP (940816.SGI.8.6.9/930416.SGI) for id HAA18111; Mon, 28 Oct 1996 07:06:36 -0800 Date: Mon, 28 Oct 1996 07:06:36 -0800 Message-Id: <961028150058_71670.2576_HHB68-7@CompuServe.COM> Errors-To: madole@ella.mills.edu Reply-To: tuning@eartha.mills.edu Originator: tuning@eartha.mills.edu Sender: tuning@eartha.mills.edu