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Musings on Music Perception

So the other day I was practicing (or trying to practice) a piece of Baroque style music I had composed. I had it to the point where the two voices and pedals sounded mostly harmonious together, using Kirnberger III temperment. I knew I had been happy with it.

But the other day, playing it exactly as I had written it, using a simple 8' Principal only registration, it sounded awful and dissonant. I check everything for anything odd, like forgotten transposer settings. All was good. I tried different registrations and different tunings, including the bland Equal Temperment, to no avail. It just didn't sound musical that night.

So it got me thinking, could our perception of harmony and what is consonant and dissonant be different not only from person to person, but from time to time. The same music played the same way might "sound" different to the same listener.

Something to think about...

;Linkname: Musings on Music Perception
;Date: 2023-09-16 22:48
;Desc: Is perception of consonant and dissonant intervals
;Desc: constant?