[Harp-L] re: temperment considerations

[fjm <mktspot@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Paul Bowering asks:

> if harps in Just tuning are in tune with themselves
> but don't blend as well with equal temp instruments
> how did the harp fare for the first eighty odd years
> of its history before the introduction of the 12TET
> Golden Melody? 

The short answer is differently.  Interestingly I just had this 
conversation in the back of Buzz Krantz's van hurtling towards the Jason 
Ricci Harp Blow Off in St. Louis.  My companion in conversation was 
Richard Sleigh.  I'm a recent convert to some of the advantages to just 
intonation as a tuning scheme.  Clearly context is everything and there 
are many musical contexts that are not appropriate for JI.  I think the 
same should be said about ET.  I had the startling experience of buying 
a pre war Marine Band in the key of G and having it totally change my 
approach to playing harmonica, especially blues.  Over a period of weeks 
what was revealed to me was why a lot of what's played in blues is 
played.  You definitely use the 5 and 9 draw differently playing blues 
on a JI harmonica.  Little Walter was a master of using this limitation 
as an advantage.  fjm