ABSTRACT

Microtonality is a rapidly growing field among contemporary musicians who are searching for new melodic and harmonic resources to expand their musical vocabulary. The latter interpretation of microtonality encompasses not only experimental tuning systems but scales found in different musical cultures around the world, as well as historic intonation systems, from ancient Greek scales to temperaments that predate the gradual adoption of 12 equal divisions of the octave in the West. Since the 1950s, Erv Wilson has categorized and catalogued equal temperaments and developed generalized Bosanquet-type keyboards and notations for them. Wilson's innovations in tuning have far-reaching ramifications, not only from a theoretical or analytical perspective, but by providing practical tools for the performance and creation of new music. Wilson's theories were based on a re-evaluation of existing systems of tuning, both historical practices as well as examples from the various musical cultures of the world. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.