Bach to the Future
Historical Tuning Performance-Lecture

Many musicologists have perpetuated a common myth in musical circles for over a century that Bach wrote the Well Tempered Clavier for Equal Temperament.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Nor did Bach invent Equal Temperament. In fact, Bach wrote The Well Tempered Clavier to showcase the new type of tuning at the time: Well Temperament. Equal Temperament, the tuning most often used today, wasn't actually realized until 1917, and yet it is still very common to hear from reputable musicologists that Bach wrote the Well Tempered Clavier for Equal Temperament. Why?

One of the biggest myths in the history of musicology is explored in detail though discussion of the evolution of tuning from before Bach's time to the present. Two to four pianos are be pre-tuned to different tunings to help explore, by way of hearing and playing the appropriate music on each of them, and comparing the music of the masters on the various tunings right before your very ears.

Mozart didn't write his masterpieces in Equal Temperament either. He probably wrote them in a tuning called Meantone. And yet we almost never hear his works in that tuning. Why?

Did you know that Bach's own tuning has recently been discovered, right under our noses, on his original manuscript? We discuss that too and much more.

This performance lecture will be presented and performed by Carl Radford, a Registered Piano Technician in the Chicago area for the last 25 years. He is an accomplished pianist, and a graduate of Eastern Michigan University, where he studied with Dady Mehta. He is also currently an adjunct faculty member at the Chicago School for Piano Technology where he teaches tuning, regulation and historical tunings.

Duration: 2 hours. Faculty or student performances on the pianos after the lecture is encouraged.

Requirements: two or three similar sized, concert ready, grand pianos placed side by side. I would need several hours to tune and prepare the pianos before the lecture.

"I just wanted to tell you that I really enjoyed your presentation last night. It was great to hear some wonderful music, played very well, I could add. It is sometimes surprising to be reminded of just how compelling a piano with a well temperament can be." B.D.

"Brilliant!" M.E.

"It really blew me away" "One piece you played in Well Temperament, this may sound...well, I felt like it touched my soul..." T.H.

"You said it would be a life-changing experience... and you were right!" M.C.

"It was interesting watching the students try to wrap their minds around what they were hearing" P.R.J.

I am available for lectures on various subjects relating to tuning and authentic temperaments. My extensive background in music, tuning and theater combine to create a dynamic and fascinating interchange of ideas and concepts that would interest any group from concert musicians to professional piano technicians to anyone interested in music.

If you would like to host a lecture, or would like information about upcoming lectures, please email me with your address and I would be happy to send you an information packet or provide you with additional information.

Other Available Lecture Topics:

Introduction to Authentic Tunings
Three pianos; tuned to Meantone, Well and Equal. The history and the misconceptions are explained as well as the differences between the tunings. Music is played and compared on each tuning. For Musicians, Piano Teachers and Piano Technicians

How to Tune Well Temperament
The nuts and bolts of how to actually tune various Well Temperaments. For Piano Technicians.

Removing Falsies
Tongue in cheek mini-technical on how to remove false beats from a piano, including tapping bridge pins, seating strings, string leveling and more. For Piano Technicians.

All's Well that Ends Well
A performance lecture in which music of the masters is played and discussed on two differently tuned pianos: Well Temperament and Equal Temperament. The demonstration revolves around how music must be interpreted differently by the pianist in each tuning.

Email: RadfordPiano@comcast.net

Phone: (773) 761-KEYS (5397)