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Immortal Forever Young

from Path Less Traveled by Midnight's Ocean

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The Piano's Ivory Cage.


The problem is not that the piano's equal-tempered system is in itself wrong, but that it has become the unchallenged universal standard. As a consequence of the wide-spread use of the piano, 12-ET, which originated as a compromise to allow pianos to play together with other instruments, has become the dominant tuning system, a default standard to which all of these other instruments must now conform. Many people can not even conceive that there could be an alternative. However, 12-ET did not come into common usage until as late as 1917, thus all music before the 20th century was written and heard in other tuning systems. When we play these pieces today, we do not really hear the same work. It is as if someone were to change the colors in, for example, a Monet painting and yet maintain that it is still the same artwork. Previously, each key even had its own effective characteristics; part of the shared cultural experience of those who made, performed and listened to music. Ab Major, for example, was the key of the grave and death; while Eb major was devotion and holiness. Although these characteristics were, of course, subjective, it was possible to conceive of each key as unique because each key actually sounded distinct within unequal temperaments. In 12-ET the quality of every key is the same, and therefore these effective characteristics have become lost. Upon first hearing, many people find performances in historical tuning systems rather unpleasant because they are used to hearing it in equal-temperament. Likewise, in the world of art, the restoration of a well-known masterwork, like the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel or "The Last Supper", is almost always met with great controversy. People are shocked by the change of color, because they have come to accept today's faded and dirty facade as true.

The Ivory Cage is ravishing
But still remains a cage
Ebony and ivory bars
Holding the spectral plumage afar
We can not hear for we can not see
The bird's song should be freed

---The Piano's Ivory Cage. David Loberg Code---

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from Path Less Traveled, released January 1, 2004

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Midnight's Ocean New Jersey

Long time composer/production engineer. Apparent pioneer of the "Nontoxic music movement". This site features a wide variety of original non-apologetic musical exploration. Made from the mind & heart. Art as an extension of the human spirit, not corporatism. Herein is sonic material for the adventurous & discerning multimedia project creator, as well as open-minded listener. ... more

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