Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Air and Bourree tempo


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Posted by Rick Denney on December 14, 2000 at 15:22:07:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Air and Bourree tempo posted by Chuck(G) on December 13, 2000 at 20:04:53:

Well, rats, I don't have my clock books near to hand. Remember, however, that pendulums come in various forms. The first clock used a rotating pendulum, known as a balance wheel. [pedant mode: ON]

Watches use these, as well as bracket clocks that were designed to be moveable. Church clocks with balance wheels were invented in the 1400's (fuzzy memory alert!). And the wealthy royal people for whom Bach would have performed would have likely has some form of a bracket clock, even though Bach didn't have one of his own. Hanging pendulums were a cost-saving innovation that came later, and had the disadvantage of prohibiting clock movement without upsetting its time-keeping.

[pedant mode: OFF--er--maybe]

Of course, it doesn't matter. Words that describe an aural art are bound to be imperfect and unsatisfying.

Let me try a new approach: It's the rigidity I want to avoid, but not the precision. Neither requires speed.

Rick "the enemy of succinctness" Denney




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