Harpsichord - Digital Download
SKU: A0.1108689
By Arturo Escorza. By Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Arranged by Arturo Escorza. Classical. Full Performance. Duration 506. Arturo Escorza #711337. Published by Arturo Escorza (A0.1108689).
In 1993, Frances Rauscher, et al, published a study in which they attributed a temporary improvement (of around 15 minutes) in mental tasks such as those found in IQ tests... Now, my criticism goes further: the piece in question is the Allegro con spirito from Sonata for two pianos in D minor KV. 448 by Mozart, so far so good. If we look at the original score, Mozart does not mention pianos, nor their ancestor, the fortepiano, but clavicembalos, i.e. harpsichords. In modern music, the A4 is tuned to 440 Hz and the scale is divided into 12 semitones of identical distance between each of them, causing that the only pure interval between them is the octave and that the others are impure and cause unpleasant interferences. In past centuries, other temperaments were used to tune the scales, with more pure, harmonic intervals, without interferences, although the intervals between semitones were some larger than others, which is why there are compositions in different tones, because according to the temperament it provoked different sensations, but with the modern equal temperament that's part of the past... the equal temperament killed the harmony and the colors of the music as its composers imagined it, as they heard it. What's this all about? to which I have recorded the piece of the supposed Mozart Effect approaching what Mozart had in mind: with two harpsichords, both with the A4 tuned to 421.6 hz, according to the Steiner tuning fork, used at the time of composition of the piece in Vienna, (note: it's not enough to tune the A4 but also to tune the intervals), and tuned in the Kirnberger III temperament. Some intervals may seem out of tune to modern ears, but it is one of so many historical temperaments used in those times.
