Audio Examples for Kyle Gann's book
The Arithmetic of Listening:
Tuning Theory and History for the Impractical Musician

Chapter 7: Well Temperament

Bach and Werckmeister III Temperament:

Here are the beginnings of three preludes from Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, each played in three different keys in Werckmeister III temperament so that you can judge the differences in mood caused by playing them in the "wrong" key:
Prelude 1 in C (original key):
Prelude 1 in C, played in C#:
Prelude 1 in C, played in B:
Prelude 8 in eb (original key):
Prelude 8 in eb, played in d:
Prelude 8 in eb, played in c:
Prelude 13 in F# (original key):
Prelude 13 in F#, played in Eb:
Prelude 13 in F#, played in F:

Beethoven and Thomas Young 1799 Temperament:

Here is the beginning of Ludwig Van Beethoven's Piano Sonata Op. 53 in C, "Waldstein," played in Thomas Young's 1799 well temperament
Pianist: Enid Katahn; piano tuner: Edward Foote
Disc: Beethoven in the Temperaments, Gasparo GSCD-332


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