A 440 Standard

[Wolfley, Eric (wolfleel)]

Before this subject is exhausted, I want to bring out this essay "The
History of Musical Pitch in Tuning the Pianoforte" by Edward Swenson from
Edward Swenson's web page... http://www.mozartpiano.com/pitch.html . I use
it when teaching my tuning and technology class because I find it quite
fascinating and illuminating. For example, by examining the table at the end
of his essay you will see that in 1845 the Vienna Conservatory was using a
tuning fork of A-445.4 and that in 1874 Broadwood's tuners were using a fork
tuned to A-454.7.  In 1879 New York Steinways were being tuned to a fork
measured at A-457.4. The middle of the 19th century generally saw pitches
levels well above our "standard" of A-440. Mention is made of complaints of
the "monstrous growth in the upswing of musical pitch" in 1834 Vienna with a
tuning fork measured at A-445.1.

Check it out.

Eric Wolfley
Cincinnati Conservatory



-----Original Message-----
From: James Ellis [mailto:claviers@nxs.net] 
Sent: Friday, April 16, 2004 8:36 PM
To: caut@ptg.org
Subject: A 440 Standard

I think David Ilvedson is correct.  I think if we all went along with the
A=442 idea, it would just keep climbing.  Just look at where A was 300
years ago.  There wasn't much of an accepted standard, but what there was,
was well below 440.  Then 200 Years ago.  Then 100 years ago the
"International Standard" was 435 Hz.  It kept climbing, so everyone got
together and set a new "standard" at 440 Hz, thinking it would stay there.
Well, we see what's happening.  The manager of the Oak Ridge Civic Music
Association tells me he has a degree in psychology, and that he is
convinced it is a psychological thing.  I agree.

Someone on this list, I forgot who, said it might be that these orchestras
just want to make sure the piano is not flat.  That could be, but if
someone tells me he wants the piano at A=442, I assume that's what he means.

Well, the 79-year-old D at Oak Ridge High School (the one the National
Symphony will use next week) was 16 cents flat and badly out of tune when I
found it yesterday - having gone through the winter with no attention other
than getting banged on in the High School Band Room, and catching a few
spit-wads.  I got a brief window of time with it yesterday, and it's now at
A=441.5 Hz.  This time tomorrow it will be solid at A=442 Hz.  After that,
it won't get tuned again before the performance a week from tonight.  The
problem is, there is no time window when I can get access to it.  Tomorrow
afternoon is IT, and the weather is supposed to turn warm and rain next
week.  But unless someone knocks it off its stage truck again, busts the
artist bench again, breaks the lyre off again, drops the lid in the floor
again, breaks another leg off again, or smashes the music desk again, it
will be OK for the concert a week from tonight.  The ORHS auditorium is the
only large one in town with a big stage.

This old piano is the same one that was once in Steinway's concert pool,
got it's key frame re-made when Steinway got it's "Accelerated Action"
patent, and came directly to Oak Ridge from Steinway during World War II.
Sorry, but I have a bias, and I keep showing it around here.  That old
piano has a unique history.  If ever an old piano was an old war horse,
that one is.  But the younger generation does not realize it, nor
appreciate it, and I have given up on a total restoration for it.

Jim Ellis


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