--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "Gene Ward Smith" <genewardsmith@...>
wrote:
>
> --- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "Tom Dent" <stringph@> wrote:
>
> > That's mainly because most of the ones that have been tested here
> > aren't very unequal, and/or because of acoustic conditions (timbre and
> > sustain). Try temperament ordinaire with a bright pipe organ timbre
> > and you'll notice pretty soon. Or Kirnberger II ... not that I'm
> > recommending it, just that it should be obvious.
>
> When in the history of circulating temperament did anyone *ever* use a
> temperament as unequal as grail--which tested out very nicely?
>

Rameau's 1726 advice asks for a run of 7 quarter-comma fifths
(starting on either C or Bb) then gradual widening over the remaining
5, the last two being probably the widest to reach the starting-point
again.

If we start on Bb then Bb-D is pure and D-F# is nearly pure; therefore
F#-Bb is likely to be about 423 cents. Indeed, Grail is a lot more
unequal than that.

I rather suspect Grail sounded good because the piece fitted it...

What about putting together a piece in B minor, which (among familiar
keys) should be the reverse of G minor? BWV544?

If one wanted to make a synthesized comparison to Rameau I would take
his tuning starting from C, with C#-G# pure and the remaining four
fifths sharing the leftover wideness. This will be (7*3 - 13)/12 = 2/3
comma, so the four sharp fifths can have 1/6 comma each.

~~~T~~~