A-440 Policy?

Avery Todd atodd@UH.EDU
Fri Oct 27 06:50 MDT 2000


Ken,

   Great! May I use this?

Avery


>We are presently fighting this same battle.  Here is the response we sent
>to a touring orchestra that requested A=443:
>
> "The concert Steinway pianos at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall are considered
>to be among the best pianos on any concert stage and we are very protective
>of them.  They are kept at the International Stand Pitch of A=440HZ.
>Changing a piano to A=443 involves at least 5 tunings to raise and then
>lower pitch, and subjects the piano to radical increases in string tension.
>We have decided not to subject our instruments to this kind of radical
>change and ask that visiting ensembles plan to tune to A-440.  It is, after
>all, easily within the tuning range of all orchestra instruments as long as
>the oboe players bring reeds that are constructed for this standard pitch."
>
>I have the temporary advantage of holding an interim position as Director
>of Concert Activities.  While I'm in charge of the concert halls, we are
>going to do it my way!
>
>Ken
>
>
>>List,
>>
>>   Just thought I'd vent a little. I worked off-campus all day
>>yesterday and didn't check my messages until around 6 PM. The
>>Houston Symphony is here for 3 days beginning today (at _their_
>>request, not ours) for an all-Copeland concert Saturday night
>>and we were not "informed" until 4:45 yesterday afternoon that
>>they wanted the piano at A-442. You'll notice I said informed,
>>not asked! As in "permission".
>>   Needless to say, my hackles are STILL up. I had to get here
>>about 6 AM this morning to do the pitch raise job for them
>>because we were informed so late, that I had no chance to fight
>>it. When that alarm went off at 4:30 AM, well, let's just say
>>that you'd rather not hear my "thoughts" about why.
>>   I just had a talk with the Director of the School of Music
>>and he's in total agreement with me. After this concert is over,
>>the OFFICIAL policy is that our performance halls are A-440 halls
>>and if any other pitch is desired, the organization will bring
>>their own instrument(s). I'll tune it to whatever is desired, if
>>they want, but _our_ 4 instruments are to stay at A-440!
>>   The director also told me that the symphony is to be billed
>>for a pitch raise job and a pitch lowering job.
>>   It's wonderful working at a school that gives me this kind of
>>support and backing!
>>   Just curious. Does anyone else have that kind of official
>>policy at your school?
>>
>>Avery
>
>_____________________________________________________________________________
>Ken Eschete				    Phone: 847/491-5441
>Interim-Director of Concert Activities		    FAX: 847/467-1831
>Northwestern University School of Music	    EMAIL:
>k-eschete@northwestern.edu
>
>Pick-Staiger Concert Hall		    Tickets: 847/467-4000
>
>1977 South Campus Drive			    Concert Hotline:
>847/467-PICK
>Evanston, IL 60208-2420
>http://www.nwu.edu/pick-staiger/



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