Sound Files

1. Trio Sonata in C minor, BWV 526 - Largo by J.S. Bach
2. Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 659 by J.S. Bach
3. Suite Gothique, Toccata by L. Boëllmann
4. Fugue in C minor on a theme by Legrenzi, BWV 574 by J.S. Bach
5. Auf meinen lieben Gott, BWV 646 by J.S. Bach
6. Fiori Musicali #17 Toccata cromatica per l'Elevazione by G. Frescobaldi
7. Fantasia in C minor, BWV 562 by J.S. Bach
8. Suite I, Opus 16 - Trio by M. Reger
9. Trio Sonata in E flat major, BWV 525 - Adagio by J.S. Bach
10. Alma Redemptoris Mater by G. Dufay
11. Herr Christ der ein'ge Gottes Sohn, BWV 701 by J.S. Bach
12. Prelude in F minor, BWV 534 by J.S. Bach?
13. Trio in C minor, Fwv N:c 2 by J.F. Fasch
14. Fugue in G minor, BWV 578 by J.S. Bach
15. Enigma Variations, No. 9, "Nimrod" by E. Elgar
16. Allabreve in D major, BWV 589 by J.S. Bach
17. Os Justi, WAB 30 by A. Bruckner
18. Abendlied, Op. 69, No. 3 by J. Rheinberger
19. Prelude and Fugue in C major, BWV 547 by J.S. Bach
20. Sleep (excerpt), by E. Whitacre
21. Vexilla Regis, WAB 51 by A. Bruckner

This page illustrates the alledged feasibility of just intonation for organ music. The tuning here used is tempered just intonation. For most pieces initially only the sound file itself is given and a matrix with the collection of tones actually used in the piece. For some pieces analyses will be added.

The sound files are in compact disk sound quality: two channel stereo, 44.100 samples per second for each channel, 16 bits per sample. The music is all synthetic and engineered to resemble an ordinary organ sound. With one exception.

Just intonation is not an ideal tuning: there is no ideal assignment of pitches to note names. Also, some ideal intervals just sound different from what you may be used to. In particular a melodic rising major third may sound like it does not end high enough. Therefore, the advice would be:

• Don't give up after listening once. Give just intonation a chance. After listening ten times you likely get used to it.
• Use quality headphones or speakers. If the bass tones sound poorly, the music may continue to sound out of tune, even after listening ten times. See Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 659 by J.S. Bach for a demonstration of how important this advice is.

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