Temperiertes

Temperiertes is the past participle and adjective of the German verb temperieren, meaning to temper, moderate, or regulate. In everyday language it designates something that has been adjusted to a desired state, such as temperiertes Wasser (water at a controlled temperature) or temperiertes Metall (metal that has undergone tempering). The term is used across several fields to indicate a processed or stabilized condition.

In music theory and tuning, temperierte Stimmungen or temperierte Stimmungen describe systems that adjust pitch relationships away from pure harmonic ratios in order to allow music to be played in many keys. The best known example is gleichtemperierte Stimmung (equal temperament), in which the octave is divided into twelve equal semitones. This approach facilitates smooth modulation between keys and is dominant in most Western tonal music today. Historical temperaments, such as well temperament, offered different compromises for keys, influencing the character of music written in various tonal centers. The expression wohltemperiert, meaning well-tempered, appears in historic literature and is notably associated with Johann Sebastian Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, a set of keyboard works illustrating the feasibility of playing in all keys.

In metallurgy, temperieren (to temper) is a heat-treatment process that follows hardening. A metal, typically steel, is heated to a specified temperature and then cooled, usually in air or oil, to attain a balance of hardness and toughness suitable for practical use. The resulting material is described as temperiertes Stahl or temperiertes Metall.

In culinary arts, temperieren also refers to techniques like tempering chocolate, where a controlled heating and cooling process yields stable crystal structures and a glossy finish.