载武七平均律思想的初步探讨

A Preliminary Study of the Seven-tone Equal Temperament System of Zaiwu

一般认为平均律即指十二平均律,但清代学者载武提出的另外一种平均律——七平均律,尚未引起研究者的足够重视。文章通过对载武乐律学著作的分析,梳理了其七平均律的思想基础,展现了他运用西方数学符号和方法计算该律的过程,并采用现代声学理论分别验证了载武七平均律的计算结果在管弦上的正确性,认为该律在弦音上完全实现了平均,而在管音上却无法达到此效果。这一结果间接表明了载武七平均律是纯理论探讨而得,并未经过试验验证。虽然七平均律并未得到实际应用,但它的提出体现了载武对律学研究方法和理论体系的创新。

Twelve -tone equal temperament is commonly regarded as the only equal temperament theory existed in ancient China. However, there was a seven - tone equal temperament inquiry first theorized in Qing dynasty by Zai- wu. The article analyzes Zaiwu＇ s academic source and the Western mathematical symbols and methods Zaiwu first introduced to music temperament research in China. Based on modem acoustic theory, this paper verifies the seven -tone equal temperament calculations results on both pipe and string instruments. Although the scale can be e- qually tempered on string instruments, the result on pipe instruments is not completely satisfactory, which indicates Zaiwu＇ s theory may not be successfully put into music practice. Nevertheless, this theory still reflected Zaiwu＇ s in- novative thinking in the studies of music temperaments.