> Not harmonic is a bit of a misnomer. Middle-Eastern music may be harmonious to some ears, but that doesn't make it harmonic.
> And as a lutenist involved with mean > versus equal temperament you should realize that western harmony is a > function of compromise and "habit". Over the years the intervals considered > harmonic have changed (down to the current day of Rock, where there seems to > be nothing but two chords). You seem to be unfamiliar with King Crimson. > Polyphony is transient (and that is a two edged > sword, the contrapuntal is harmonic and enharmonic). There is no evidence > that western music was the only chordal music, merely that it is the chordal > music we accept today in the west. More specifically please. Aside from Tuvan throat-singing. > I am reminded of the objections on this > list to the varient chord in Gypsie's Lilt. Harmony is both in the ear and > in the basic overtones, and those lose their credibility in the equal > temperament. My overtones have credibility of a Minnesota Norwegian. RT > >> >>> The turkish 'ud has never been fretted. same is for any idan from > Morocco to >>> Iraq. >>> The only fretted "lute" they havein Turkey is the Lauta which is > different >>> and has a longer neck and different tuning. >> Turkish Lauta [actually a regional item from Aegean islands and western >> Anatolia] is a CHORDAL instrument, i.e. a Western import, as we already > know >> that islamic music is NOT harmonic. >> RT >> >> >> >> > >
