Theory and Practice of Untempered Costume in the Music of the European Middle Ages

Lecture by Dr. Ryszard Lubieniecki

Pythagoras, according to legend, was supposed to discover the basic interval relationships by walking around the forge and comparing the sound produced by hammers of different weight ratios. The Pythagorean concept, conveyed by Boethius and involving octave, quintet and quart intervals, became the basis of the musical system and instrument tuning throughout the period of the European Middle Ages and at least the beginning of the Renaissance.

During the lecture, the basic theoretical assumptions for which the starting point is the division of the monochord will be discussed, and then transferred to the practice of tuning a keyboard instrument (portable). Live examples will allow you to hear what musical consequences result from adopting this method of tuning and in which repertoire it works best.