This is a work in progress. The current version is a relatively straight forward performance of J.S. Bach’s first English Suite Allemande, first half. The tuning is from the 31-limit Partch Tonality Diamond, with a sort of major scale (shown here in the key of A) derived from the otonality using the following ratios:
- A 1:1
- B 9:8
- C# 5:4
- D- 21:16
- E 3:2
- F# 27:16
- G- 7:4
- G# 15:8
The D- and F# are a bit weird. But the G- as the flatted 7th, and the 7th overtone, is very sonorous, as is the 5:4 5th overtone. The piece modulates from A major to E, F#, and B major. I don’t have those keys, so in this case it modulates from A to E+, to F#, and to B. And these keys are in the far reaches of the tonality diamond. If you consider C to be a 1:1, then the ratios for these keys are:
32:19 32:17 32:25 32:23 and the relationships between the keys are nothing like what Bach would have expected. Instead of a simple set of low number ratios as keys to modulate through, I’m in another place. I’m not saying Back wouldn’t have run away screaming at the way this sounds, but my plan is to radically transform his Allemande in the future, much like I did the Tango in the previous piece. We shall see.
Here is a comparison of Bach’s expectations with what I’m using:
or download here:
Allemande #2
Here is the score:
