> [Original Message] > From: Fred Sturm <fssturm@unm.edu> > To: College and University Technicians <caut@ptg.org> > Date: 11/30/2004 1:20:40 PM > Subject: Re: [CAUT] Steinway stretch (was Re: Steinway Verticals) > > Talk to professional musicians who play "non-fixed pitch" instruments > (winds and strings) and you'll find that ET is mostly an annoyance. When > they are forced to play with a piano, instead of in a orchestra, band or > ensemble of peer instruments, they have to make enormous adjustments, which > they find un-musical. They are used to bending pitch to blend, which means, > essentially (best I am able to decipher), narrowing major thirds and sixths > to beatless. Actually, as a violinist, I would say "playing major thirds and sixths as they are meant to be, without beats" -- but then the vibrato goes and messes everything up beatwise, so I don't know. But you're absolutely right, playing with a pianist means that everything has to be played "out of tune" for a string player. No more narrowing of the half-step just below the tonic note of the key (i.e., narrowing B3-C4 when in the key of C major). Piano tuning by ET is a whole different way of looking at music. Best wishes, Dorrie Bell
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