Intonation for Cello in the Music of J. S. Bach

Abstract:In this article I describe my journey into the world of intonation and temperament. Intonation stems from the desire to play or sing "in tune," which, over the course of centuries, gradually shifted its focus from pure intervals to an emphasis primarily on melody. In other words, a shift from a vertical to a horizontal, linear focus. The major stumbling block we encounter in our quest for a universal system in which all harmonies are pure is this little "imperfection" that we discover as soon as we try to tune a keyboard instrument: it is mathematically impossible to make all the possible intervals pure. We have the "comma." Many different temperaments have been developed to arrive at a solution that could satisfy musicians from a particular period, from Pythagoras to our current equal temperament.When playing the J. S. Bach suites for cello solo, my only confrontation with "temperament" is when I must decide how to tune my four fixed notes: my strings. As musicians who are not bound to fixed pitches, we can find solutions for most problems that might arise along the way. When we are playing in an ensemble, we are much closer to a brush with "imperfection." This requires compromises to pure harmony, although the necessity for "temperaments" stays firmly with keyboard instruments.