Music Building, Room G20
With guest pianist Emily Brother and guest presenter Austin Grimes
Join us to explore the concept of key color and un-equal temperament – hear and play on a tuning system from the 19th century!
In this workshop we will investigate alternative Keyboard Temperaments in several ways using two differently tuned Steinway Grand Pianos as well as a digital Harpsichord capable of several different tunings.
By way of sine-tone generators and Ancient Greek concepts of harmonic division, we will first explore the issue and history of ‘tempering’ a sonic phenomenon within a system.
How do the twelve tones fit within an octave?
Our tuning focus will be toward ‘tempered’ systems other than that of our own ‘ordinary’ modern keyboards. We will compare the Musical qualities of each temperament through the lens of examples from J.S. Bach‘s Das wohltemperiere Klavier and others featuring our guest pianist, Emily Brother.
Open to members of the Harvard Community. Email slab@fas.harvard.edu to RSVP.