@AML2000 I love Handel's organ concertos in meantone. It's the first thing I noticed about these recordings, and the first thing I thought was that Handel used a meantone organ, because it seems he purposely chords that would be sweet or bitter, rough or smooth, to match the mood of the music. You especially notice the effect in the middle of the 2nd movement of HWV310, where the tuning accentuates the eccentric notes.
@delameu if I dimly recall when I first bought this recording many years ago, Simon Preston found an old organ hidden away in a small church in England that was still tuned to mean tone. Most organists and harpsichordists are too chicken to play in that tuning for regular audiences because of the reaction you have! I think it adds even more gravitas to this movement myself. Bach preferred a well temperament so all keys sounded reasonably clean, who knows what Handel preferred!
@AML2000 I love Handel's organ concertos in meantone. It's the first thing I noticed about these recordings, and the first thing I thought was that Handel used a meantone organ, because it seems he purposely chords that would be sweet or bitter, rough or smooth, to match the mood of the music. You especially notice the effect in the middle of the 2nd movement of HWV310, where the tuning accentuates the eccentric notes.
ccoraxfan 2 weeks ago
@delameu if I dimly recall when I first bought this recording many years ago, Simon Preston found an old organ hidden away in a small church in England that was still tuned to mean tone. Most organists and harpsichordists are too chicken to play in that tuning for regular audiences because of the reaction you have! I think it adds even more gravitas to this movement myself. Bach preferred a well temperament so all keys sounded reasonably clean, who knows what Handel preferred!
AML2000 4 months ago
do you know what tuning was used on the organ? probably historically correct but i think it ruins it ...
delameu 1 year ago