On Tue, May 9, 2017 at 5:55 PM, Davitt MORONEY <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

> The thing that often seems to be left out of discussions about temperament
> is how the continuo player reacts at the keyboard in terms of voicing the
> chords.
>

​I have used Davitt's techniques for dealing with a non split-sharp
instrument in performance using meantone temperamant. It works as well as
possible, but give me split sharps any day. The right tool for the job sort
of thing.

One of my harpsichords is an early 17th century Italian by Owen Daly.  It
 has two split sharps per octave and a short octave bass.  Single strung,
p-wire, quill, incredible projection for its size - what a beauty!  I'll be
using it for Monteverdi Vespers this week in fact, for which it is ideal.

One other workaround I have used for the Vespers for a non-split sharp
instrument is to tune one of the E-flats to D-sharp (I tune D#-2).  As
Davitt notes, when not the root of the chord, the tenor E-flat is not
horrible when used as D#, but it is still annoying if there is also a lower
string in the continuo group.  Otherwise using the D#-2 is good if you can
maneuver your realization up there as necessary.

It is unlikely any of this was necessary for Monteverdi's organist, as the
organs around there had split sharps (and were Italian instruments with
soft principals, not flutes, as a foundation.)  For Monteverdi's Vespers at
least, I find our charming 8'4'2' flute chamber instruments to be a weak
approximation for what is called for by Monteverdi.

BTW, another problematic work for me is Dido and Aeneas, where one aria
throws a spanner into an otherwise straightforward meantone-based
accompaniment on a non-split sharp instrument.  Wish I could ask Purcell
about it.

Keith Womer

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