Concert pitch, octave stretching, Journal Editor

[Ron Torrella]

Steve Brady -

Whenever the Chicago Symphony come riding into town, they naturally expect
the pianos to be tuned at A=442 (if they expect to use one, that is).
Fortunately, every time they've appeared it was in the fall before we got
hit with a "cold and dry."  Since our Krannert Center's temp/ humidity
control is a throwback to the days of cavemen/women and since they're a
little slow on the uptake when it comes time to switching into "winter"
mode, we have little trouble accomodating the See-Ess-Oh gang's demand for
higher pitches.  I've been in the habit (after my predecessor's example)
of allowing the pitch to creep upwards over the several weeks prior to
their visit.  So far, <knock on wood> nobody's been the wiser that
sopranos and tenors have been having to give a little more effort to
reaching the highest extremes of their ranges.  I don't advertise the
fact, of course.  Perfect pitch, indeed!  :-)

BTW: Huzzah, and all that stuff on your appointment to Chief Pencil-
Pusher....er, Editor of the Journal.  Perhaps you can start a new
tradition--a column called "Over the Wires" or some such silly moniker
highlighting the month's "Electric Discussions" in this forum.  Feel free
to quote me--freely, even!  (Not that I have much to say....)  :-)

Ron Torrella                  "Dese are de conditions dat prevail."
School of Music                           --Jimmy Durante
University of Illinois