Examples of songs or phrases played in different temperaments?

Question

I've read about the fact that 12 tone equal temperament is a relatively recent phenomenon, and that historically, each key would have a different character due to the unequal temperament. I'm curious about how equal temperament changes the character of songs, and what sort of variety we've lost by moving to equal temperament.I've heard a few examples of individual intervals and chords, but never an entire song or phrase in another temperament. Are there any sources of recordings of the same song, or phrase, that I can listen to side-by-side (alternating between them, or simply played one after the other) which demonstrate the difference between equal temperament and other temperaments?

Answer 1

Think about any leitmotif within a movie, a musical, a ballet, or an opera. Pick a famous leitmotif and listen to it change within the performance. The leitmotif is in a minor key when the character is sad, or in a major key when happy, or in a development section when confused. Yes each key has it's own personality and defines how we feel about the music.