[Harp-L] Musicology [shorter. Less harp. Last time]

[Robb Bingham <robbingham@xxxxxxxxx>]

<Feel free to name one single verifiable error in his
[Partch's ~Genesis~]coverage of this topic in the
above book.
Pat M.>
++++++++++++++++++++++


There are many errors in Partch's ~Genesis of A
Music~, not the least of which is his dogged elevation
of the value of microtonal dabbling to something more
than it is, and his mistaken ideas of how the ear
works, how the brain processes sound, and how
~sound/acoustics~ works. And, btw, that moves us into
an area I can speak to- since you asked.:->

I suggest you start with 
B. McLaren's, ~Partch's Errors~ :
http://sonic-arts.org/mclaren/partch/errors.htm

As to the rest [and you're right, we really must stop.
But since you upped the ante by suggesting I'm
confusing Partch with someone---]; Partch and most of
his devotees [now metamorphosed into the proud ~Just
Intonation Crowd~, as if it's something new. It isn't]
insisted on playing his ~compositions~ on his ~altered
instruments~. He thought traditional instruments were
inadequate. There are also whole chatrooms about this
little tempest in a teapot [NOBODY actually puts his
music on to enhance life, but to increase their
credibility for the next debate]. Even Chronos folk
will admit to that.

Like I said, I prefer, what is being called ~Just
Intonation~ for my Blues Harps. There is no argument
that Equal tuning is a compromise of sorts. Most of
life is. I have no axe to grind. Just don't like
seeing something good and true being slapped down. 

I'll accept the Handle/Klavier-thing as an example of
an ~error~ if you want, but the source for that
historical/date was a militant JI chatroom and it's
been disputed at the same source. I do appreciate that
you at least mentioned an actual error, though I
suspect it's hardly your reason for thinking
~Temperament~ is ~full of bias, errors and omissions~.
I think it's because you think the Just Intonation
guys are the Good guys, and the Equal temperament guys
are the Bad Guys.:->

I'll also add that Pat Misson is an authority on this
tuning stuff. I'm not.

Robb 
A good read for those interested is ~Just Intonation
Primer~ by David Doty. He acknowledges also that
Partch's ~Genesis~ falls short of being scholarly or
~comprehensive~.
Also, the bibliography in the McClaren paper is a
great source for various areas of this subject if
you're interested in the real and romanticized issues
between Just and Equal temperament- .

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