Steinway Style 2 data (was Short Scale/Decal for 1866 Steinway)

[Bdshull@AOL.COM]

John,

It would be interesting to find additional documentation about this (the 
extent of Steinway's use of the high pitch).  For example, was the early "A" 
scale designed for the high pitch?  It was designed in 1878.  Right now I am 
just trying to figure out my Style 2 7'3" from 1878.  

I have finally had a good long look at the July PTJ article by Juan Mas Cabre 
of Pure Sound Piano Wire, the Netherlands, on the history of piano wire.  
Clark earlier posted in reference to this article, and I should have read it 
earlier.  For example, "Even if it is somewhat unpractical nowadays to tune a 
piano at a pitch of 450 Hz or more, it is important to know that high pitches 
like these were very common in the second half of the 19th century.  So if we 
still tune these instruments at 440 Hz, we must in most cases compensate for 
this difference by choosing thinner wire for the top notes."  (p. 62)  He 
then refers to Ellis and has an inset box of some of Ellis's pitch 
documentation from 1800 to 1879, including the Leipzig Gewandhaus, 1869, 
A449; Collard and Collard, 1877, A450; Erard 1879, A455; and Steinway 1879 
A457.

Bill Shull, RPT



.  
In a message dated 11/10/00 9:29:15 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
john@musselwhite.com writes:

<< 
 I spoke with Bill Garlick at the Chinook Keyboard Centre (our wonderful 
 piano museum) the other day and he confirmed that early Steinway pianos (he 
 didn't specify which years though) were designed and built to be tuned to 
 A=454.
 
                  John >>