A 440 Standard

[Richard E. West]

What I want to know is this:  If violinists want to keep pushing pitch higher,
is there a point where the higher tension will actually hurt the violin.  I
suppose at that point builders could add a cast iron frame.

Richard West,
University of Nebraska

"Wolfley, Eric (wolfleel)" wrote:

> 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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