Ancient & Medieval Tuning (c. 500 BCE – 1400 CE)
The Medieval period established Pythagorean tuning as the standard for all Western music. Derived from the mathematical theories of Pythagoras (c. 570-495 BCE) and codified by Boethius (c. 480-524 CE), Pythagorean tuning stacks pure perfect fifths (3:2 ratio) to derive all 12 pitch classes. The result: resonant open fifths and octaves as the primary consonances, with major thirds that are significantly sharper than modern ears expect.
Standard Temperaments in the Ancient & Medieval Era
Historical Context
Medieval musical theory was dominated by the Pythagorean tradition: intervals derived from ratios of small whole numbers (superparticular ratios). The perfect fifth (3:2) and octave (2:1) were the only true consonances recognized by medieval theorists. Major thirds (+21.51 cents sharper than equal temperament) were classified as dissonances requiring resolution, which shaped the characteristic sound of medieval polyphony — parallel fifths and octaves were not just permitted but preferred. The church modes (Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian) were all conceived within the Pythagorean framework. Fixed-pitch instruments — organs, lutes, plucked strings — were tuned in Pythagorean intonation from at least the 9th century CE.
Representative Repertoire
Gregorian chant (6th-11th century CE) was conceived entirely in Pythagorean intonation. The Notre Dame School of polyphony (Leonin, Perotin, c.1160-1240) features parallel organum exploiting pure Pythagorean fifths. Guillaume de Machaut's Ars Nova works (c.1300-1377) represent the height of Pythagorean Medieval polyphony — his Mass of Notre Dame (c.1365) is the earliest known complete polyphonic mass setting, composed within the Pythagorean framework.
Explore Ancient & Medieval Tuning in Tunable — Get Tunable.
Tunable supports all 2 temperaments standard in the Ancient & Medieval era. See exact Hz deviations from equal temperament in real time as you play.
