Modes of Tuning Instmments, 44^ 



of simplicity, before his writings unknown. But the opi'» 

 nions he has advanced, wiih respect to the temperament 

 of the musical scale, require that n)inute investigation and 

 submission to calculation, which, if they had been advanced 

 by a person of less celebrity, might have been passed over 

 m silence. 



One of the grand objects at which he appears to aim, is 

 to establish an equal temperament on the piano-forte (that 

 is, that all chords of the same kind shall be alike, as to 

 their degree of imperfection) : to this I raise no objection; 

 the rage for modulation at present exertmg its energies, to 

 their utmost possible extent ; a rage ;very favourable to the 

 talents of those, who have not invention sufficient to pro- 

 duce novel and beautiful melodies, and yet aspire to the 

 character of interesting composers. 



I shall first presume to ofier a few observations on the 

 tmequal temperament of Kirnberger, which Mr. Kollmann 

 «<p/>r»'e> '^ one of the best hitherto kjiown." Not having; 

 the happiness to be able to read German, I know not what 

 M. Kirnberger has offered in its behalf; or those impor- 

 tant observations which major Templehoff (in an Essay in, 

 that language published in 1775, Berlin) is said by Dr. 

 Robison in the Encyc. Brit., art. Temperament, to have 

 made, on Kirnberger's system. 



Preferring at all times experiment to theory, T tuned my 

 piano-forte according to Mr. Kollmann*s printed directions, 

 with a view to hear the effect of one of ^' the best unequal 

 temperaments.*' I cannot speak favourably of the result. 

 T will below subjoin a table oi the heatings of the tempered 

 consonances, in order to give those professors who may 

 feel no inclination to submit to the drudgery of calculation, 

 some idea of what the effect of this temperament would be 

 on an organ, where those heatings are most distinctly heard: 

 a formidable host of foes, inimical to correct, and, even tole- 

 rable tune. It appears to me, in the outset, doubtful whether 

 a tempered system should have anv perfect chords (but 

 the octaves); aa those chords, whenever ihey are h"ard,will 

 render the ear less disposed to be pleased with the iraperfisct 

 harmony which follows. 



We will suppose the performer on the 0T2;an, to begin 

 with Kirnberger's system in the key of C, answering. to the 

 tenor clif ; here is a chord absolutely perfect ; so also is the 

 chord of G, the fifth of the key; but the chord of the 

 fourth of the key ranks, in point -of importance, next to 

 the key-note and its fifil^; and here unfortmiately is a 

 chord of which A, the major third to F, beats 149 time». 



Vol, 3d, No. 146. June IS 10. Ff in 



