Quarter-comma meantone: Difference between revisions
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→Modern renderings: Add John Bull's ''Fantasia «Ut Re Mi Fa Sol La»'' (late 1500s/early 1600s, from ''Fitzwilliam Virginal Book Vol.1 No.51'') – performed on Cembalo Universale (harpsichord having 19 notes per octave for extended meantone) by Robert Hill (2015) |
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'''Quarter-comma meantone''' is the tuning of [[meantone]] temperament which makes the perfect fifth ([[3/2]]) the fourth root of 5, or in other words 696.578 [[cent]]s. This means the fifth is flattened by 1 | '''Quarter-comma meantone''' is the tuning of [[meantone]] temperament which makes the perfect fifth ([[3/2]]) the fourth root of 5, or in other words 696.578 [[cent]]s. This means the fifth is flattened by {{frac|1|4}} of the syntonic comma ([[81/80]] ratio) of 21.506{{cent}}, which is to say by 5.377{{cent}}, hence the name. | ||
Because of all of these features, it has a certain claim to be considered the canonical meantone tuning and often "meantone" is taken to mean quarter-comma specifically. The traditional interval names, listed below, may be considered to have their older traditional tuning in the quarter-comma meantone tunings listed below. However, other tunings (besides [[12edo]] which is ubiquitous but not an especially good tuning for meantone) may be preferred. Note, for instance, that the doubly augmented second and the doubly diminished fourth are both neutral thirds, about | Quarter-comma meantone is the tuning where the major third ([[5/4]]) is tuned pure, and the minor third ([[6/5]]) and the fifth are equally flat by {{frac|1|4}} syntonic comma. It is also the tuning where the whole tone is the exact [[geometric mean]] between the greater tone of [[9/8]] and the lesser tone of [[10/9]] (the "semiptolemaic major second" sqrt(5/4)), from which the term "meantone" is derived, and many argue that it is the only tuning which is strictly "mean tone". It is the minimax tuning for 5-limit meantone, meaning the maximum error on the [[5-odd-limit]] [[tonality diamond]] is minimized. It is also the minimax tuning for septimal meantone in the [[7-odd-limit|7-]] and [[9-odd-limit]], and for meanpop (the version of 11-limit meantone which tunes 11/8 to the doubly diminished fifth, C–G𝄫) in the [[11-odd-limit]]. Moreover, historically it was the predominant tuning of Western common-practice music in the latter part of the Renaissance and the early modern (17th century) era. | ||
Because of all of these features, it has a certain claim to be considered the canonical meantone tuning and often "meantone" is taken to mean quarter-comma specifically. The traditional interval names, listed below, may be considered to have their older traditional tuning in the quarter-comma meantone tunings listed below. However, other tunings (besides [[12edo]] which is ubiquitous but not an especially good tuning for meantone) may be preferred. Note, for instance, that the doubly augmented second and the doubly diminished fourth are both neutral thirds, about 6{{c}} apart. In [[31edo]], these two intervals are enharmonically equivalent. | |||
== Tuning profile == | |||
[[Projection map]]: | |||
{| class="right-all" | |||
|- | |||
| [⟨ || 1 || 1 || 0 || -3 || ] | |||
|- | |||
| ⟨ || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ] | |||
|- | |||
| ⟨ || 0 || 1/4 || 1 || 5/2 || ] | |||
|- | |||
| ⟨ || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || ]] | |||
|} | |||
[[Tuning map]]: {{val| 1200 1896.5784 2786.3137 3365.7843 }} | |||
[[Error map]]: {{val| 0 -5.3766 0 -3.0416 }} | |||
== Intervals of quarter-comma meantone == | == Intervals of quarter-comma meantone == | ||
Below is a table listing 36 of the notes of quarter-comma meantone, giving the size in cents, the number of fifths up or down on the [[chain of fifths]], the | Below is a table listing 36 of the notes of quarter-comma meantone, giving the size in cents, the number of fifths up or down on the [[chain of fifths]], the {{w|letter notation}} for the interval relative to C as the tonic, the traditional name for the interval, a shorthand form of the name, and the size of the interval in [[fractional monzo]] notation. | ||
{| class="wikitable right-1 center-2 center-5" | {| class="wikitable right-1 center-2 center-5" | ||
! Size <br> in [[cent]]s | |- | ||
! Fifths <br> dist. | ! Size<br />in [[cent]]s | ||
! Note <br> C-based | ! Fifths<br />dist. | ||
! Traditional <br> interval name | ! Note<br />C-based | ||
! Int. <br> (short) | ! Traditional<br />interval name | ||
! [[Fractional monzo|Fract. <br> | ! Int.<br />(short) | ||
! [[Fractional monzo|Fract.<br />monzo]] | |||
|- | |- | ||
| 0.00000 | | 0.00000 | ||
| Line 26: | Line 47: | ||
| Unison | | Unison | ||
| P1 | | P1 | ||
| | | {{monzo| 0 0 0 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 41.0590 | | 41.0590 | ||
| | | −12 | ||
| Dbb | | Dbb | ||
| Diminished second, diesis | | Diminished second, diesis | ||
| d2 | | d2 | ||
| | | {{monzo| 7 0 -3 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 76.0490 | | 76.0490 | ||
| Line 40: | Line 61: | ||
| Augmented unison, chromatic semitone | | Augmented unison, chromatic semitone | ||
| A1 | | A1 | ||
| | | {{monzo| -4 0 7/4 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 117.108 | | 117.108 | ||
| Line 47: | Line 68: | ||
| Minor second, diatonic semitone | | Minor second, diatonic semitone | ||
| m2 | | m2 | ||
| | | {{monzo| 3 0 -5/4 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 152.098 | | 152.098 | ||
| 14 | | 14 | ||
| | | Cx | ||
| | | Doubly augmented unison, augmented chromatic semitone | ||
| AA1 | | AA1 | ||
| | | {{monzo| -8 0 7/2 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 158.167 | | 158.167 | ||
| | | −17 | ||
| Ebbb | | Ebbb | ||
| Doubly diminished third | | Doubly diminished third | ||
| dd3 | | dd3 | ||
| | | {{monzo| 10 0 -17/4 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 193.157 | | 193.157 | ||
| Line 68: | Line 89: | ||
| Major second | | Major second | ||
| M2 | | M2 | ||
| | | {{monzo| -1 0 1/2 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 234.216 | | 234.216 | ||
| | | −10 | ||
| Ebb | | Ebb | ||
| Diminished third | | Diminished third | ||
| d3 | | d3 | ||
| | | {{monzo| 6 0 -5/2 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 269.206 | | 269.206 | ||
| Line 82: | Line 103: | ||
| Augmented second | | Augmented second | ||
| A2 | | A2 | ||
| | | {{monzo| -5 0 9/4 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 310.265 | | 310.265 | ||
| | | −3 | ||
| Eb | | Eb | ||
| Minor third | | Minor third | ||
| m3 | | m3 | ||
| | | {{monzo| 2 0 -3/4 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 345.255 | | 345.255 | ||
| 16 | | 16 | ||
| | | Dx | ||
| Doubly augmented second | | Doubly augmented second | ||
| AA2 | | AA2 | ||
| | | {{monzo| -9 0 4 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 351.324 | | 351.324 | ||
| | | −15 | ||
| Fbb | | Fbb | ||
| Doubly diminished fourth | | Doubly diminished fourth | ||
| dd4 | | dd4 | ||
| | | {{monzo| 9 0 -15/4 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 386.314 | | 386.314 | ||
| Line 110: | Line 131: | ||
| Major third | | Major third | ||
| M3 | | M3 | ||
| | | {{monzo| -2 0 1 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 427.373 | | 427.373 | ||
| | | −8 | ||
| Fb | | Fb | ||
| Diminished fourth | | Diminished fourth | ||
| d4 | | d4 | ||
| | | {{monzo| 5 0 -2 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 462.363 | | 462.363 | ||
| Line 124: | Line 145: | ||
| Augmented third | | Augmented third | ||
| A3 | | A3 | ||
| | | {{monzo| -6 0 11/4 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 503.422 | | 503.422 | ||
| | | −1 | ||
| F | | F | ||
| | | Perfect fourth | ||
| P4 | | P4 | ||
| | | {{monzo| 1 0 -1/4 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 544.480 | | 544.480 | ||
| | | −13 | ||
| Gbb | | Gbb | ||
| Doubly diminished fifth | | Doubly diminished fifth | ||
| dd5 | | dd5 | ||
| | | {{monzo| 8 0 -13/4 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 579.471 | | 579.471 | ||
| Line 145: | Line 166: | ||
| Augmented fourth | | Augmented fourth | ||
| A4 | | A4 | ||
| | | {{monzo| -3 0 3/2 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 620.529 | | 620.529 | ||
| | | −6 | ||
| Gb | | Gb | ||
| Diminished fifth | | Diminished fifth | ||
| d5 | | d5 | ||
| | | {{monzo| 4 0 -3/2 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 655.520 | | 655.520 | ||
| 13 | | 13 | ||
| | | Fx | ||
| Doubly augmented fourth | | Doubly augmented fourth | ||
| AA4 | | AA4 | ||
| | | {{monzo| -7 0 13/4 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 696.578 | | 696.578 | ||
| 1 | | 1 | ||
| G | | G | ||
| | | Perfect fifth | ||
| P5 | | P5 | ||
| | | {{monzo| 0 0 1/4 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 737.637 | | 737.637 | ||
| | | −11 | ||
| Abb | | Abb | ||
| | | Diminished sixth | ||
| d6 | | d6 | ||
| | | {{monzo| 7 0 -11/4 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 772.627 | | 772.627 | ||
| Line 180: | Line 201: | ||
| Augmented fifth | | Augmented fifth | ||
| A5 | | A5 | ||
| | | {{monzo| -4 0 2 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 813.686 | | 813.686 | ||
| | | −4 | ||
| Ab | | Ab | ||
| Minor sixth | | Minor sixth | ||
| m6 | | m6 | ||
| | | {{monzo| 3 0 -1 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 848.676 | | 848.676 | ||
| 15 | | 15 | ||
| | | Gx | ||
| Doubly augmented fifth | | Doubly augmented fifth | ||
| AA5 | | AA5 | ||
| | | {{monzo| -8 0 15/4 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 854.745 | | 854.745 | ||
| | | −16 | ||
| Bbbb | | Bbbb | ||
| Doubly diminished seventh | | Doubly diminished seventh | ||
| dd7 | | dd7 | ||
| | | {{monzo| 10 0 -4 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 889.735 | | 889.735 | ||
| Line 208: | Line 229: | ||
| Major sixth | | Major sixth | ||
| M6 | | M6 | ||
| | | {{monzo| -1 0 3/4 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 930.794 | | 930.794 | ||
| Line 215: | Line 236: | ||
| Diminished seventh | | Diminished seventh | ||
| d7 | | d7 | ||
| | | {{monzo| 6 0 -9/4 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 965.784 | | 965.784 | ||
| Line 222: | Line 243: | ||
| Augmented sixth | | Augmented sixth | ||
| A6 | | A6 | ||
| | | {{monzo| -5 0 5/2 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1006.84 | | 1006.84 | ||
| | | −2 | ||
| Bb | | Bb | ||
| Minor seventh | | Minor seventh | ||
| m7 | | m7 | ||
| | | {{monzo| 2 0 -1/2 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1041.83 | | 1041.83 | ||
| 17 | | 17 | ||
| | | Ax | ||
| Doubly augmented sixth | | Doubly augmented sixth | ||
| AA6 | | AA6 | ||
| | | {{monzo| -9 0 17/4 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1047.90 | | 1047.90 | ||
| | | −14 | ||
| C'bb | | C'bb | ||
| Doubly diminished octave | | Doubly diminished octave | ||
| dd8 | | dd8 | ||
| | | {{monzo| 9 0 -7/2 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1082.89 | | 1082.89 | ||
| Line 250: | Line 271: | ||
| Major seventh | | Major seventh | ||
| M7 | | M7 | ||
| | | {{monzo| -2 0 5/4 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1123.95 | | 1123.95 | ||
| | | −7 | ||
| C'b | | C'b | ||
| Diminished octave | | Diminished octave | ||
| d8 | | d8 | ||
| | | {{monzo| 5 0 -7/4 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1158.94 | | 1158.94 | ||
| Line 264: | Line 285: | ||
| Augmented seventh | | Augmented seventh | ||
| A7 | | A7 | ||
| | | {{monzo| -6 0 3 }} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 1200.00 | | 1200.00 | ||
| Line 271: | Line 292: | ||
| Perfect octave | | Perfect octave | ||
| P8 | | P8 | ||
| | | {{monzo| 1 0 0 }} | ||
|} | |} | ||
== Music == | == Music == | ||
=== Modern renderings === | |||
; {{W|Johann Sebastian Bach}} | |||
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20201127013537/http://micro.soonlabel.com/gene_ward_smith/Others/Meneghin/Ricercar%20a%206/Quarter-comma-meantone.mp3 ''Bach's Ricercar a 6 from A Musical Offering''] rendered by Claudi Meneghin | |||
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2osCf4AQ_0k ''Praeludium et fuga in G, BWV 541'' - J S Bach, in meantone temperament] (late 1500s – early 1600s; performed on quarter-comma meantone pipe organ by Helena Holmlund, recorded 2013) | |||
; {{W|Chuck Berry}} | |||
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20201127012202/http://clones.soonlabel.com/public/micro/gene_ward_smith/Others/quartercomma/reelrock.mp3 ''Reelin' and Rockin'''] (1957) | |||
; {{W|John Bull (composer)|John Bull}} | |||
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpDkbRpxwKw ''Fantasia «Ut Re Mi Fa Sol La»''] (late 1500s/early 1600s, from ''Fitzwilliam Virginal Book Vol.1 No.51'') – performed on Cembalo Universale (harpsichord having 19 notes per octave for extended meantone) by {{W|Robert_Hill_(musician)|Robert Hill}} (2015) | |||
; [[Giovanni Pietro Del Buono]] | |||
* [http://micro.soonlabel.com/gene_ward_smith/Others/quartercomma/Giovanni%20Pietro%20Del%20Buono-%20Tre%20Sonate%20Sopra%20Ave%20Maris%20Stella%20(V,%20VI,%20VII).mp3 ''Tre Sonate Sopra Ave Maris Stella'' (V, VI, VII)] (''c''. 1641–1644) | |||
; {{W|Dieterich Buxtehude}} | |||
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR0gWBjdzsA ''Magnificat primi toni'' BuxWv 203] (c. 1690; performed on quarter-comma meantone pipe organ by Helena Holmlund, recorded 2013) | |||
; {{W|François Couperin}} | |||
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20201127015607/http://clones.soonlabel.com/public/micro/gene_ward_smith/Others/quartercomma/Le%20Tic-Toc%20Choc.mp3 ''Le Tic-Toc Choc''] (1722) | |||
; {{W|Ferenc Farkas}} | |||
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkZ2FDXMzlA ''The 1699 Meantone Organ from Rupea at the Black Church in Brasov | Farkas Ferenc Hungarian Dances''] (1961; performed in 2024 by {{W|Bálint Karosi}}) | |||
; {{W|Sergei Rachmaninoff}} | |||
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20201127014732/http://clones.soonlabel.com/public/micro/gene_ward_smith/Others/quartercomma/Prelude%20in%20g%20Op%2023%20%235.mp3 ''Prelude in g minor'' Op. 23 #5] (1901) | |||
; {{W|Arthur Singer}}, {{w|John Medora}} and {{w|David White %28musician%29|David White}} | |||
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20201127014551/http://clones.soonlabel.com/public/micro/gene_ward_smith/Others/quartercomma/At%20the%20Hop.mp3 ''At the Hop''] (1957) | |||
; {{W|Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck}} | |||
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_z6lhgLNJI&list=WL&index=238 ''Fantasia chromatica by Sweelinck'', in meantone temperament] (late 1500s – early 1600s; performed on quarter-comma meantone pipe organ by Helena Holmlund, recorded 2013) | |||
; {{W|Richard Wagner}} | |||
* [http://clones.soonlabel.com/public/micro/gene_ward_smith/Others/quartercomma/Meistersinger%20Prelude.mp3 "Prelude" to ''Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg''] (1868) | |||
; {{W|Nicola Vicentino}} | |||
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b68Ek5hDgDo ''Laura che il verde lauro'']{{dead link}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20201127014948/http://clones.soonlabel.com/public/micro/gene_ward_smith/Others/quartercomma/Nicola%20Vicentino%20(1511-%20c.1576)%20-%20Laura%20che%20il%20verde%20lauro.mp3 play] | |||
=== 21st century === | |||
; [[Mark Allan Barnes]] | |||
* [https://youtu.be/6t5PdeC1Trw ''Country Bumpkin''] (2010) [https://web.archive.org/web/20201127012811/http://clones.soonlabel.com/public/micro/gene_ward_smith/Others/quartercomma/Country%20Bumpkin%20Live%20At%20The%20Turks%2023,9,2010ce.mp3 play] | |||
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVwXUwK5_Vg ''Ozone Layer''] (2012) [https://web.archive.org/web/20201127013628/http://micro.soonlabel.com/gene_ward_smith/Others/quartercomma/Ozone%20Layer.mp3 play] | |||
; [[Eufalesio]] | |||
* [https://soundcloud.com/eufalesio/procession-for-the-death-of-a-star?in=eufalesio/sets/microtonal-stuff "Procession for the death of a star"] from [https://soundcloud.com/eufalesio/sets/microtonal-stuff ''Microtonal stuff''] (2022) | |||
; [[Francium]] | |||
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S3NCRNHFzc ''A Meantone Prelude''] (2023) | |||
; [[Adam Freese]] | |||
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3gnksLkjRw ''Unnamed fugue''] (2023) | |||
; [[Claudi Meneghin]] | |||
* ''Five canons'' (2011) | |||
** "Canon 2 in 1 in F at the octave" [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyEpCWkxSsM YouTube] | [https://web.archive.org/web/20201127013925/http://clones.soonlabel.com/public/micro/gene_ward_smith/Others/Meneghin/Claudi%20Meneghin_%20Canon%202%20in%201%20in%20F%20at%20the%20octave.mp3 play] | |||
** "Canon 2 in 1 in A- upon a ground" [https://web.archive.org/web/20190902004518/http://soonlabel.com/xenharmonic/archives/2089/cm-canon-2-in-1-upon-a-ground-4th-version-edited blog] | [https://web.archive.org/web/20190902003004/http://soonlabel.com/xenharmonic/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/CM-Canon-2-in-1-upon-a-ground-4th-version-edited.mp3 play] | |||
** "Canon 2 in 1 in G- at the major seventh" [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwKeFLgbngY YouTube] | [https://web.archive.org/web/20201127013440/http://clones.soonlabel.com/public/micro/gene_ward_smith/Others/Meneghin/Claudi%20Meneghin_%20Canon%202%20in%201%20in%20G-%20at%20the%20major%20seventh.mp3 play] | |||
** "Canon at the minor second on an ancient Padanian folk theme" [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEeKltGny04 YouTube] | [https://web.archive.org/web/20201127014141/http://clones.soonlabel.com/public/micro/gene_ward_smith/Others/Meneghin/Claudi%20Meneghin_%20Canon%20at%20the%20minor%20second%20on%20an%20ancient%20Pad.mp3 play] | |||
** "Canon 2 in 1 on "Ah! vous dirai-je, maman" at the diminished fifth" [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_YVhwArGTI YouTube] | [https://web.archive.org/web/20201127013943/http://clones.soonlabel.com/public/micro/gene_ward_smith/Others/Meneghin/Claudi%20Meneghin_%20Canon%202%20in%201%20on%20_Ah_%20vous%20dirai-je,%20maman_%20.mp3 play] | |||
; [[Norokusi]] | |||
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjJSa9brfSY ''Suite No.6 (2025) for Piano in Quarter-comma Meantone Temperament''] (2025) | |||
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZriKGVcXDM ''Ballade No.5 (2025) in C Major for Piano in Quarter-comma Meantone Temperament''] (2025) | |||
; [[Juhani Nuorvala]] | |||
* [https://soundcloud.com/juhani-nuorvala/enharmoninen-sarja-enharmonic-suite ''Enharmoninen sarja (Enharmonic Suite)''] (2017, [[Matias Häkkinen]] on harpsichord with 2 split keys per octave, tuned in quarter-comma meantone (C C♯ D D♯ Eb E F F♯ G G♯ A♭ A=415Hz B♭ B) | |||
; [[Cam Taylor]] | |||
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQcDISy6e4M ''Free jam in 1/4-comma E♭-G♯''] (2024) | |||
; [[Chris Vaisvil]] | |||
* [http://micro.soonlabel.com/quarter-comma-meantone/its-a-quarter-of-a-mean-tone.mp3 ''A Quarter of a Mean Tone''] | |||
* [http:/ | * ''No Voice Leading'' (2012) [https://chrisvaisvil.com/harpsichord-in-d-minor-in-quarter-comma-meantone-tuning/ blog] | [http://micro.soonlabel.com/quarter-comma-meantone/20120704-harpsichord-quarter-meantone.mp3 play] | ||
* | |||
[[Category:Meantone]] | [[Category:Meantone]] | ||
[[Category:Listen]] | [[Category:Listen]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Historical]] | ||