Tuning and temperament : a historical survey / [by] J. Murray Barbour.
| Author/creator | Barbour, J. Murray |
| Format | Book |
| Edition | [Second edition]. |
| Publication Info | East Lansing : Michigan State College Press, 1953 [i.e. 1967, ©1953] |
| Description | xii, 228 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm |
| Subjects |
| Contents | Preface -- Glossary -- History of tuning and temperament -- Greek tunings -- Meantone temperament. Other varieties of meantone temperament -- Equal temperament. Geometrical and mechanical approximations ; Numerical approximations -- Just intonation. Theory of just intonation -- Multiple division. Equal divisions ; Theory of multiple division -- Irregular systems. Modifications of regular temperaments ; Temperaments largely Pythagorean ; Divisions of ditonic comma ; Metius' system ; "Good" temperaments -- From theory to practice. Tuning of keyboard instruments ; Just intonation in choral music ; Present practice -- Intervals with superparticular ratios. |
| Abstract | The demands of tuning (attaining the perfect scale) and temperament (the compromises necessary for composing in every key) have challenged musicians from the earliest civilizations onward. This guide surveys these longstanding problems, devoting a chapter to each principal theory and offering a running account of the complete history of tuning and temperament. Organized chronologically, the book features a helpful glossary and numerous illustrative tables, and it requires minimal background in music theory. |
| General note | Based on the author's thesis: Equal temperament, its history from Ramis (1482) to Rameau (1737) - Cornell University, 1932. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliography (pages. 205-217) and index. |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Music | Music Stacks | ML3809.B234 T8 1967 | ✔ Available | Place Hold |