<html> The primary subject of this thread has been the best method for matching tunings in multiple piano situations.  While interesting and thought provoking, it does not quite relate directly to "Les Noces" (The Wedding) . According to Grove's: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>The original version of The Wedding, essentially completed in 1917, was scored for a large mixed band of about 40, with only a small string group, much wind, and a battery of      percussion and twangy plucked and struck strings, including cimbalom  (ds) (an instrument Stravinsky became obsessed with after hearing and buying one in Geneva in 1915), harps, piano and harpsichord.</blockquote> And: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>In February 1921 the Pleyel piano company gave him a studio in their Paris factory in the rue Rochechouart, and here he worked on the pianola part of The Wedding, for a time even envisaging rewriting the entire score for four pianolas.</blockquote> And: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Meanwhile, The Wedding had itself at last reached the stage in Paris in May 1923 in a form which also seemed curiously to co-opt this most ethnically Russian of all his works into a neo-classical sound-world, with its four pianos (actually two double pianos in the first production)...</blockquote> I guess I would make two points: 1) The original orchestration, including cimbalom, suggests to me that he did not want pianos perfectly in tune 2) Given the date of composition and the likelihood of numerous performances (recordings?) with 4 pianos before ETD, there would have been comparable aural solutions to the problem.  Wed, 6 Mar 2002 <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>I agree with the majority of replies so far.  I do not tune pianos together.  I tune each piano to it's own stretch.  Of course they will not be exactly the same stretch numbers but they will be very close and sound very good together.  In my opinion, the very minor differences will give each instrument it's own voice, so to speak. Imagine trying to get four singers to sound exactly the same.  I believe that the differences in characters also give the music a more three dimensional sound as well.  In other words, they don't sound like one big piano but four separate voices, each with their own particular character.  Imagine how sterile it would sound if you got the four singers to sound exactly the same.   -Christopher D. Purdy R.P.T.</blockquote> During the Christmas season, WKCR in New York City (Columbia University station) had a Bach Festival.  One recording they played was of a number of chorales,  performed with a single soloist on each part.  It was thoroughly unfulfilling. At 02:01 PM 03/06/2002 -0500, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Eric And, again, I forgot who said it, but I agree that perhaps Stravinsky wanted all four of the pianos to sound slightly different, to give them each their own character. Wim </blockquote> Under these circumstances, I would probably go with David Millers's suggestions: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite> Just do a good, stable tuning and get a cup of coffee!</blockquote> For unparalleled fun though, next time someone should try one tuner per piano, maybe even with a conductor! David Skolnik Columbia University, NY </html>