Dear David and Barb, (List, this is rather long so feel free to pass over it.) The very first time an orchestra requested a non-standard pitch I called Steinway Hall to find out what they did. The recommendation given me was to count on two tunings (including pitch raising the first time and possibly the second one as well) over a two day period and the complete reverse to stabilize it back to 440. One point that they emphasized (I must apologize--this was at least 11 years ago and I don't remember with whom I spoke so I can't give the proper credit due!) was for me to remember that this was for a concert with a full house-hopefully-listening and I should be sure the piano was rock solid. In other words, if necessary overtune for stability rather than undertune! I followed the advice given and the piano held completely! And I still follow that advice if I have to change the pitch. My objective is complete stability with minimum risk of tuning instability. Our Charlotte Symphony uses A440. The only times I have to deal with this situation is with the Community Concert Series. Most European orchestras do not use 440; they use 442 and as has been previously stated some tune as high as 447. The St Louis Symphony is the only American orchestra for whom I have tuned that asked for 442 . I have been very successful in educating our CCS people (although it took awhile) that they should insist on 440 and it is now in their contracts. If a visiting orchestra insists on a non standard pitch, they know upfront what the costs will be. The most significant event in the educational process occurred about 8-10 years ago. The Charlotte Symphony owns the piano that CCS uses primarily for its concerts. CCS had a concert one Monday night with a European orchestra who requested 442 for their performance of the Saint Saens 4th (I think it was the 4th, just don't remember). Our Symphony had a rehearsal the very next morning with Barry Douglas playing the Brahms 2nd. Knowing that it would be highly unlikely that I could get the piano stable for the Symphony's A.M. rehearsal, I recommended that the Symphony not allow CCS to use their piano; rather CCS should rent one. I explained the tuning process I recommend to the CCS people; they said no way. They would not pay for that many tunings. I said ok, but I would not tune for that concert. I should point out that I study the orchestral score, if I have access to it and at minimum the piano score of the concerto, for potential hazard areas. Having done so, I knew that several existed in the Saint Saens. It so happened that I was at the concert hall working on the Symphony's piano when the substitute tuner came to tune the CCS rental instrument. He and I had a good discussion. He too believed that the one tuning (no pitch raise, just a tuning from 440 to 442) they had contracted him to do would not be sufficient; but as he said, he would tune, take his money and that was that. I attended the CCS concert that evening. The piano went out during the first 16 bars of the opening movement. During the spot (I think it's in the slow movement) that the horns solo with the piano, there were as many audible gasps in the audience as there were vibrations coming from the piano. The newspaper critic's review the next morning was unfavorable to put it nicely. The lesson I learned from that is not to be afraid of standing firm in my convictions even at the risk of losing business. Since that episode, I have not had one problem with CCS agreeing to what the piano needs and my reputation remains intact. Gina
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