Tanaka Shōhei

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Tanaka Shōhei ( Japanese 田中 正 平 ; * May 15, 1862 , † October 16, 1945 ) was a Japanese physicist, music theorist and inventor.

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Tanaka graduated from Tokyo University in 1882 with a degree in science . With a state scholarship, he was sent to Germany together with Mori Ōgai , where he studied with Hermann Helmholtz and Carl Stumpf . Tanaka's dissertation concerned the pure mood and practical tools for its implementation.

Tanaka studied the division of the octave into 53 equal steps as an accurate approximation for pure major and minor chords. Tanaka showed that the 53-step tuning is the only equally -step tuning with this property of tempering both Schisma and Kleisma.

The 53-step tuning was later generalized by Adriaan Daniël Fokker .

Tanaka proposed a class of harmonic cadences through which a traditional Japanese sound aesthetic should be reproduced, with pentatonic scales (see Japanese scales ) being made possible and lead notes being included, as they occur in the chords played with the Shō . Tanaka's suggestions were taken up by a number of Japanese composers and music theorists in the 20th century.

Tanaka was both an inventor and theorist. To make music in pure tuning, he designed an Enharmonicum with 20 keys and 26 pitches in each octave, which he patented. He had a version with five octaves built by the Berlin instrument maker Johannes Kewitsch . Tanaka introduced this device in various cities, including a. in Berlin, Leipzig, Stuttgart, Zurich and in July 1890 at the Vienna Conservatory. He also demonstrated it to the composer Anton Bruckner at the Japanese embassy in Vienna , who showed great interest in the instrument. Tanaka also developed a calculating machine.

Fonts

  • Studies in the field of pure tuning, in: Vierteljahrsschrift für Musikwissenschaft , Volume 6, No. 1, Breitkopf and Härtel, Leipzig 1890, pp. 1–90 ( Goole scan )

literature

  • William Pole: A New Keyed Musical Instrument for Just Intonation . In: Nature. Volume 44, No. 1141, September 10, 1891, pp. 446-448.
  • Rey Akai: Dr. Tanaka's Enharmonium. In: ROS Bulletin. February 1992, ISSN  0736-9549 , pp. 16-17.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Peter Strasser : Simon Sechter's treatise on the musical-acoustic tone relationships. First publication, commentary and consequences for performance practice. Dissertation. University of Salzburg. Lang, Bern 2008, ISBN 978-3-03-911635-5 , p. 134 ff.
  2. ↑ German art and music newspaper. No. 20. Vienna 1890, p. 182.
  3. ^ Friedrich Eckstein : Memories of Anton Bruckner , Vienna 1924
Japanese name: As is common in Japan, the family name comes before the first name in this article . Thus Tanaka is the family name, Shōhei the first name.
personal data
SURNAME Tanaka, Shōhei
ALTERNATIVE NAMES 田中 正 平 (Japanese)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Japanese musicologist and instrument maker
DATE OF BIRTH May 15, 1862
DATE OF DEATH October 16, 1945