source file: m1360.txt
Date: Fri, 20 Mar 1998 11:57:33 -0600 (CST)

Subject: Re: Question:

From: Paul Hahn <Paul-Hahn@library.wustl.edu>

On Fri, 20 Mar 1998, Bob Lee wrote:
> What's the difference between "Well" and "Meantone"?  I think I understand
> Meantone now, but I keep seeing references to Well.  It's 12-tone, right?

"Well-Temperament" is a horribly awkward and ungrammatical term which
has come to mean any circulating temperament (the term many prefer),
i.e. a temperament in which there are no "wolf" intervals, making all
chords and keys (and therefore enharmonic modulations) usable.

Of course what constitutes a wolf interval is (to some degree) a matter
of taste.  I think Owen Jorgensen prefers to restrict the use of the
term "Well-Temperament" to temperaments in which there is no harmonic
waste, that is no fifths larger than just or major thirds smaller than
just.

Yes, they use only twelve tones.

--pH <manynote@lib-rary.wustl.edu> http://library.wustl.edu/~manynote
    O
   /\        "How about that?  The guy can't run six balls,
  -\-\-- o    and they make him president."

             NOTE: dehyphenate node to remove spamblock.          <*>