Most of the time, pipe organs and pianos share equal
temperament--at least in theory. Compared to an average piano tuning,
organ tuning is a massive job. Organs are relatively easy to touch up, but a
major operation to tune thoroughly. A number of factors are critical for
accurate organ tuning, including temperature, location and condition of the
pipes, the accumulation of dirt, and wear and tear. In addition to these
factors, it is just plain hard to get around in them. One must manage walkways,
ladders and work in scary places. Hardly any piano tuners have fallen off a
piano or dropped their tools in the strings, but we often hear of organ tuners
taking fateful trips down ladders or worse, winding up in the pipes!
Some years ago, I learned that it was not a very good idea
to change organ tunings on a whim. An organist might ask a tuner to lay on a
Werckmeister III tuning, so they can hear what Bach should really sound like.
After the enthusiasm for Bach has worn off, the next organist to take that job
will insist that the organ be returned to equal temperament. (Don't ask
me how I know that these things can happen.)
It is unfortunate that what passes for equal temperament on
many instruments is really no temperament at all. The sound is all a jumble.
Other situations occur, where tracker organs that should be well-tempered bleat
unmercifully with equal thirds, and lovely turn-of-the-century heirlooms howl
in baroque temperament. So often, the punishment really does not fit the crime,
and perfectly good tunings are wasted in the wrong places.
More organists have come to realize that tuning is an art,
and pleasing musical results come to those who invest time and attention to the
details of a well constructed and pleasing tuning. A good tuning is more than
theory and strategy and hard work. It is understanding of what is possible and
taking some effort to achieve those possibilities.
This is where the piano tuner comes in. If an organist is
going to understand temperament as it applies to his instrument, a good place
to start is with pianos. Historic temperaments are manifold with many different
names and variations. They are represented by lists of numbers that may defy
rationality and sometimes beg the question of authenticity. Who is to say the
numbers are right, when many versions of each temperament make their claim to
be authentic? Scholarship is sadly lacking.
Machine tuning is often used to set temperament with varied
results, depending on how good an aural tuner the technician is. The best
tuners never abandon aural tuning--in fact tuning by ear is still the best
source of a superior tuning. Both equal and historic temperaments can be set
with an electronic tuning device, but the real test of any tuning is the way
the intervals work. Theoretical tunings may be derived by study and transmitted
by tuning charts, beat rates, or deviations from a theoretical point. But in
the final analysis, it is the ear of the technician that makes the decision to
go flat or sharp. In my own experience, I look for logical relationships
between intervals, no matter what the name of any tuning.
This is the direction in which organists can go as well.
When they hear a fine instrument, the tuning should also make an impression.
It's not a matter of sour notes, but how the stops of the organ sound
both in the quality of the pipes and the tonality of the ensemble. Temperament
contributes purity, harmonicity, and overall aesthetic satisfaction. The sound
of the finest organs will contribute immensely to an individual's musical
understanding and appreciation.
In addition to listening to fine organs, some experiments
can be made with pianos in a church setting. When these instruments are tuned,
purely equal temperament can be set aside in favor of historically derived
tunings. This does not mean that they must be severe. In fact, some of the most
delicate temperaments are very close to an equal distribution of intervals.
However, the deviations they display are intentional and often the result of
the best tunings of bygone technicians. If nothing else, they displace random
errors in favor of intervals that lean the right way for a musical result. A
good example of this type of tuning are "Viennese" or
"Victorian" temperaments. They are found on reed organs and other
19th-century instruments.
In addition, there are well-tempered tunings of a more
moderate nature that are appropriate for romantic or classic (but not baroque)
organs. They are often derived from English sources, such as
"Broadwood's Best" and "Handel's
Well-Temperament." These tunings give good key color and favor the white
note triads. They also have the excellent feature of providing consistent ear
tests and do not require the uncritical setting of pitch according to the dial
on a machine. Yes, you can use your ears when tuning these temperaments. And
your ear will reward you when you play the music.
Organists can open up aural vistas with pianos at hand by
arranging for their tuner to assist with well-tempered tunings. This is not to
be confused with changing pitch. Piano tuners are taught to maintain pianos at
A=440 and should be encouraged to do so. It is not hard to find a tuner who has
an active interest in historic temperaments, since this subject is an area of
lively scholarship and discussion in conferences of the Piano Technician's
Guild, the parent organization for most piano tuners. A search for the right
technician will be well worth the effort. Organists will be rewarded with
instruments that "teach" them how to listen to music.
After some time with pianos, the question of the ultimate
tuning of the organ can be considered with much more clarity and logic than
"tuning on a whim." It is far more likely that good insight and
perceptive decisions will prevail.
