Werckmeister Harmonies Page #2

Later, all this was not enough.

Unhinged arrogance

wished to take possession

of all the harmonies

of the gods.

And it was done in its own way.

Technicians were charged

with the solution,

a Praetorius, a Salinas,

and finally an Andreas Werckmeister,

who resolved the difficulty

by dividing the octave of the harmony

of the gods, the twelve half-tones,

into twelve equal parts.

Of two semi-tones, he falsified one.

Instead of ten black keys,

five were used

and that sealed the position.

We have to turn our backs on this

development of tuning instruments,

the so-called constant-tempered

and its sad history

and bring back

the naturally tuned instrument.

Carefully, we have to correct

Werckmeister's mistakes.

We have to concern ourselves

with these seven notes of the scale

but not as of the octave,

but

seven

distinct and independent qualities

like seven fraternal stars

in the heavens.

What we have to do then,

if we are aware,

is that this natural tuning

has its limits,

and it is a somewhat worrisome limit

that definitely excludes

the use of certain

higher signatures.

- How much?

- A hundred forints.

Thanks.

Tell me, what's in there?

People are chattering

about some Prince.

Certainly not, Mr rgyeln.

A giant whale has arrived.

This mysterious creature from the sea

has come from the far-off oceans.

Most definitely

you have to see it too.

I don't like this at all, Jnos.

Nothing wrong with it,

Mr rgyeln.

Just see what a gigantic animal...

...the Lord can create!

How mysterious is the Lord

that he amuses Himself

with such strange creatures.

It'll lead to trouble, Jnos.

How's Jnos?

Good morning Uncle Lajos.

Good morning Auntie Tnde.

How's Jnos?

I've come about very important

and serious business.

It's about my former husband.

I know that you are close to him,

that you are devoted to him.

I've done everything too for him.

No, I never ever wished him harm.

I made the greatest sacrifice

for him:

I moved out.

At his request.

So he can devote himself to his art.

By doing this

I gave up the position

due to me in the town.

Now it is his turn.

Now he has to make a sacrifice.

That's easy to understand.

You do understand, Jnos?

So with the police chief

and some more people of good will

we are establishing a movement

which will restore order,

create cleanliness

and we are procuring

the necessary funds.

You can see that a movement

like this needs a chairman,

a strong individual, who...

has influence over others,

who is persuasive.

And he,

he is such a personality.

Yes, and now two possibilities

offer themselves.

One is that he accepts

the chairmanship

and everything remains as it was.

The second is that he says no

and then...

Yes. And then

I'll have to move back in with him,

and...

to convince him

of my serious intention,

I'm sending my suitcase ahead of me.

All my things are in it.

Everything has been prepared.

Here is the list.

On it are all the people

of good will and standing

in the town.

He should seek them out

and win them round to the cause.

Just a few signatures,

and then he can sit back again

at his piano

and strum away.

Auntie Tnde, I...

I know that...

The fact is...

Uncle Gyuri isn't very well and...

I'd like to lie down

for a while myself,

because I worked all night

and I think that he won't be able

to take this on.

- But...

- So please don't be annoyed.

You have to understand that

there's no time to put this off.

If he doesn't collect

all the signatures

by 4 this afternoon at the latest,

then...

I'll move back in with him, no matter

how difficult it will be for me.

It's impossible

in that wretched hovel I live in

to organise all this.

Do you understand?

I see, but...

This is the time that

Uncle Gyuri likes to work and I...

Now wouldn't be a good time

for me to go to him, because...

you see,

I'm very tired.

But yes, he'll succeed,

so go and talk to him at home.

Just say that

what I'm waiting for him to do

is to show an example,

to come forward with money

for this movement.

And add to that, if he doesn't,

then

I'll be having supper with him

this very evening.

- Hello Lajos.

- Good morning Ma'am.

Good morning.

How's it going?

LAJOS HARRER Jr.

BOOT AND SHOEMAKER

Good morning Aunt Harrer.

How's Jnos? So you're here.

That I am.

What's happening outside?

What did you see on your way here?

- Will I be able to get home?

- Of course, you will.

There's talk that they're breaking

shop windows

and set fire to the hotel.

And the butcher got his head

cracked open.

No wonder an honest person doesn't

dare go out in the street.

Don't be afraid, Aunt Harrer.

Just be calm.

You can go home without any worry.

Being careful never hurt anybody.

I said not to get excited.

There's no problem.

You can go home easily.

On this perfectly tuned instrument

you yourself can hear

how grating is the E flat prelude

from the Wohltemperierties Klavier.

This is for you

from Auntie Tnde.

She asks you to get dressed

in your warm clothes

because it's very cold outside -

and to set off to find

these people and persuade them

to join the Clean Town Movement,

and you'll be chairman.

Because she and the Chief of Police

would like to restore order

in the town and because

the people won't say no to you.

She also says that

if you do not feel like doing that,

then she'll have supper here today,

"this very evening".

That's why she sends this case

with her clothes,

so that she won't have to carry it.

We're not going anywhere.

Neither now, nor later.

But...

Auntie Tnde says

you should do everything

- by 4 this afternoon...

- Jnos, just don't worry...

There will be no trouble.

We haven't yet

and we won't move from here.

Especially not for this stupid

slattern and her petty-minded

and evil command.

Aunt Tnde also says that

if you take on the chairmanship,

everything will remain as it was.

We're not going to do anything.

We're not going to make

the same mistake twice.

I'll be coming with you, see.

It's no big thing, Uncle Gyuri.

We'd better start.

We'll be late for four o'clock.

Aunt Tnde

doesn't mean you any harm.

See, we'll go there, arrange it all

in a couple of hours and come back.

And then she wouldn't come back here,

this evening or any other time...

Believe me Uncle Gyuri,

Auntie Tnde is very determined.

So this is serious, you think?

Yes.

Let's suppose I comply,

will you take the case back then?

Yes.

I'm finished for now, Mr Eszter.

Thank you Mrs Harrer.

Your money is on the writing table.

Thank you. I'll be here

at the usual time on Friday.

A little fresh air won't hurt you.

Goodbye.

Jnos, would you be so kind

as to get that out of here?

Go and find

the furthest point in the house

and put it there.

Right away.

Come on then, Uncle Gyuri.

So if we're going like this,

I can fetch your lunch.

I knew she wouldn't give up,

she couldn't stand it

and that she'd be in contact

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