Temperament by Stuart Isacoff
How Music Became a Battleground for the Great Minds of Western Civilization
A lively history of musical tuning that follows the centuries-long struggle between pure intervals and tempered systems, showing how the debate drew in scientists, philosophers, and composers from the Renaissance through the Enlightenment. It reveals how the shift toward well-tempered and ultimately equal temperament transformed keyboard instruments, enabled wide-ranging modulation, and reshaped Western musical expression, while illuminating the intertwined roles of mathematics, acoustics, and culture.
- Published
- 2001
- Nationality
- American
- Length
- Medium
- Pages
- 260-300
- Original Language
- English
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- Alternate Titles
- None
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