A443

[David M. Porritt]

The Dallas Symphony tunes to 441 from the principal oboe.  In the first 64
measures they go higher as the instruments warm up.  When the new pipe
organ was installed, the organ builders very carefully measured not the
claim, but the actual pitch where they play.  (The last thing the organ
people want is for the orchestra to play a section, then the organ comes in
and sounds flat.)  They tuned the organ at 443.5.  In performance they
match very well.

dave

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 9/14/99 at 1:57 PM John Baird wrote:

>Newton Hunt wrote:
>
>> The question is not how high, but why?
>
>Agreed.
>
>As far as safety goes, Michael Mohr told me that Steinway has been known
to
>chip their pianos to A447. It's not a question of whether the piano can
take
>it.
>
>But why are some orchestras tuning to a higher pitch? I cynically wonder
>they are looking for a special effect when playing against the A440 chimes
>and xylophone.
>
>Is there a good reason? It would be interesting to survey the group for
the
>various reasons/claims that orchestra personnel have given for tuning to a
>higher pitch.
>
>John Baird, RPT
>Decatur, Illinois


_____________________________
David M. Porritt
dporritt@swbell.net
Meadows School of the Arts
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX 75275
_____________________________