Johann Sebastian Bach and Temperament

• During Bach's lifetime, the history of temperament in Western music took new turns, but his relationship to this development is far from well understood. The article explores a number of relevant questions to help define what we actually can know about this matter: •Which sources about musical temperament are relevant in regard to Bach's practice and what can be learned from them? •How detailed, plausible or credible is the relevant information? •Do we know whether Bach had any influence on the choice of temperament in organ projects? If so, to what extent and what was his advice? •To what degree do extant contemporary reports, expert opinions and historical instruments allow us to reconstruct temperaments in the organ building of Bach's age? •What role did the temperament of instruments with fixed pitches (like keyboards) play in interaction with free-intonating instruments and singers? It appears that conclusive evidence for answering these question does not exist, which might be liberating: In the end, it remains a matter for the individual to decide which temperament seems to be musically apt for the performance of any of Bach’s compositions.

Ämnesord

HUMANIORA  -- Konst -- Musik (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Arts -- Music (hsv//eng)

HUMANIORA  -- Historia och arkeologi -- Historia (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- History and Archaeology -- History (hsv//eng)

HUMANIORA  -- Konst -- Musikvetenskap (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Arts -- Musicology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Johann Sebastian Bach

temperament

stämning

ensemble-intonation

intonation

keyboard instruments

harpsichord

clavichord

organ

orgel

cembalo

tuning

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