Baroque Festival

[FSSturm@aol.com]

Harpsichords at 442 in equal temperament for a "baroque festival" is strange. 
I had to tune a harpsichord at 441.5 for a touring chamber orchestra from 
Europe a few years back. Pretty bizarre! 
    On the subject of the whole high pitch phenomenon, regardless of how we 
feel about it, in terms of tuning stability, extra work, etc., it is a 
reality we must deal with. Wind players in European orchestras must purchase 
instruments made for whatever pitch is chosen, and they can't shift the pitch 
of their instruments enough to be in tune with 440. Clarinets can use varying 
length barrels with some success, but even that is problematic. If the 
orchestra musicians playing for the baroque festival are using the same 
instruments they use for other performances (and it's unlikely to be 
otherwise), the pitch needs to conform to the instruments.
    I hate it, but I live with it. Just did a piano at 443 for the Czech 
Philarmonic Chamber Orchestra a week ago. Then back to 440 a couple days 
later. The work isn't nearly as hard with an ETD, using the pitch change 
function. I find two passes within an hour and a half total sufficient to get 
a piano into virtually concert ready tune (another pass to touch up unisons, 
preferably later, after sound check or whatever). The first time I had to 
raise a Steinway D to 442, when I tuned exclusively aurally, it was a 
horrible experience. After four hours, I still was far from satisfied.
Regards,
Fred S. Sturm, RPT
University of New Mexico

In a message dated 11/2/99 10:29:03 AM, Avery Todd writes:
>
>Hi Fred,
>
>   Some comments:
>.
>1. The triple _is_ going to be 3 harpsichords, not pianos.
>2. Thankfully, the lights in our new building generate negligible
>   heat on stage.

Lucky you! I bet you don't even have enormous loading dock doors right next 
to the stage to let in those cold winter breezes. Oops, forgot. What cold 
winter breezes are there in Houston?

>3. Believe me, I _am_ counting my blessings (not having to tune for
>   all this.) :-)
>
>Avery