Baroque Festival

[Richard Moody]

The other consideration that seems seldom considered is that the
HT's are done from C as the starting note.  I know it can be
figured to make a'  come out to 442 or 440.   But you can
imagine the hassel of one temp having a different pitch for C
(c'') than another. The other consideration is what about the
other instruments of fixed pitch, oboe, flute, bassoon,
clarinet, etc. are they build for ET, or just diatonic?  It
would be interesting to have a "gab" session with a symphony
orchestra to hear about problems of intonation when playing with
tempered instruments, and discuss the problems of tuning pianos to
other than an international fixed pitch, which should be A440. 
	Some where some time someone must answer the question, 
why go higher with International Pitch? If not it will go to 445, and I
have heard some European orchestras are already attempting this.
I hear of singers objecting to  442.   I know many reasons as a
piano tuner to keep A440.  I am sure piano manufacturers would
like to preserve A440. 
	 And what are the reasons to go higher.  "Brilliance".   ? ?  
Why they think pitch has something to with this is beyond me. 
They have pianos with hardner in the hammers.  They have horns I
am told with space age designed mouth pieces to get a brighter
tone.  Cymbals have become brighter through modern technology.
Modern buildings can be designed accoustically "brighter".  CDs
now with walkman type head phones "that make the inside of your
head sound like you wish Davies hall did.".(Herb Caen) give a
new dimension with a wider range of "eq"  ie more "higher end"
ie brightness.   Solid state electronics have given loudspeaker
music an extra bite of brilliance. And they want more?  And
somehow they think that will come from raising pitch??
They must have tin ears.---ric
	
> From: Avery Todd <atodd@UH.EDU>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Cc: caut@ptg.org
> Subject: Baroque Festival
> Date: Thursday, October 28, 1999 8:53 AM
> 
> List,
> 
>    For those of you interested in HT's, I just thought I'd
post
> something that, to me, is unbelievable.
>    Starting this Saturday, this festival goes for abut a week
> and is primarily being done by the Houston Symphony. Composers
> such as Vivaldi, Bach, Handel, Purcell, Telemann and Corelli
all
> have works being performed.
>    What I find hard to understand is that all the concerts
with
> the Symphony people are performed in ET and at A-442, their
> standard pitch. This means that for a triple concerto they're
> doing, I'm going to have to raise ours to stabilize it so that
> the symphony tuner won't have to fight that when he's tuning
the
> 3 together. :-(
>    I know some might just say, so.....? But I can't believe
> they're doing a Baroque Festival this way. Oh well, at least
_I_
> don't have to tune for any of it except one. And that one is
at
> least at A-440 with one of our faculty members.
>    Just thought some might find this "curious". :-)
> 
> Avery
> 
> P.S. If anyone is interested in a listing of all the works,
let
>      me know and I'll post it privately.
> ______________________________________
> mailto:atodd@uh.edu - Work
> 
> mailto:avery@ev1.net - Home
> 
> Avery Todd, RPT
> Moores School of Music
> University of Houston
> 713-743-3226
> Houston, TX 77204-4201
>