A443

[Ron Nossaman]

>The Vienna Chamber Orchestra is playing here next month and they have
>asked that the piano be tuned to A443.  No problem, although I would
>rather not.  But I was just wondering,... How high can we safely take the
>pitch of a Steinway D?
>
>John Chapman, RPT


I don't know how high you can safely go, but I service a few Ds that I
routinely lower from over 443 in the Summer, and raise again from below 437
in the Winter. It shouldn't hurt it to tune it at that pitch, but it's a
bloody nuisance to raise it, and then have to lower it again for the next
gig when they want it tuned to the real world. Oh, sorry, I forgot myself
for a moment there and tried to enforce reality on the music world. I should
know better. I'll try not to let it happen again.

Just out of curiosity, I ran the numbers on a D scale at 440, and 443 for
tensions. At 443, the total tension is roughly 640 pounds higher than at 440
(unless I blew it somewhere). It's interesting that pianos routinely deviate
(by seasonal conditions or administrative decree) far beyond what we
consider a reasonable safety allowance for rescaling... don't you think?  

Just trying to maintain perspective here.

 Ron N