A443

[Richard E. West]

John:

The only reason I've heard for cranking up the pitch is that the strings
sound more brilliant.  I will say that when I pull a piano up to 442 or
444, there is a change in the tone of the piano toward a brighter more
penetrating sound.

But my feeling is that an orchestra shouldn't have to resort to a gimick
(ie, higher pitch) to achieve a unique or brighther sound.  But that's
not my decision to make so whenever an orchestra requests the higher
pitch, I comply.  I find that I can pitch raise and stabilize the piano
in around 2 hours.  I accept the fact that the job needs to get done and
do it without stressing myself out about it.  

The orchestra has the power in this situation.  Ultimately they can
refuse to perform.  I would find it extremely uncomfortable to be at the
center of that kind of arguement.  The administrators of the performance
areas that I work in know my feelings about tuning to higher pitches and
express those feelings to orchestras.  There is a house policy that
states that 440 is the standard pitch.  

But the show must go on.  The people I work with treat me well and I
would feel bad putting them in an unreasonably difficult situation.  As
a general rule I pick my battles.  Fighting over pitch isn't one I want
to fight although I will state my opinions forcefully.

Richard West