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.
