Klarinet Archive - Posting 000808.txt from 2002/04

From: Bill Edinger <wde2@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] temperament and key "personality"
Date: Sun, 28 Apr 2002 22:49:47 -0400

I certainly don't want to appear to disagree with Mr. Leeson's eloquent and
totally convincing argument against the myth of "key personality" or
whatever you want to call it, and in fact I especially enjoyed the argument
that pitch has changed markedly over the centuries, elegantly demolishing
the notion in one fell swoop, I would say. However, it was once pointed out
to me by an accomplished musician (even if he was a conductor) that some
keys do have a "brighter" (!) sound for string players because of the
greater frequency of open strings. Perhaps this is partly responsible for
the myth. Of course, it wouldn't apply to wind players.

Bill Edinger

--
Music and wine are one.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

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