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<DIV>My New <SPAN class=correction id="">World</SPAN> <SPAN class=correction id="">Dictionary</SPAN> of American Language says: "The standard pitch to which instruments are tuned and voices are pitched so as to be compatible in performance: It is currently designated as A above middle C, with a frequency of 440 vibrations per second." </DIV>
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<DIV><SPAN class=correction id="">Wim</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV> <BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: Fred Sturm <fssturm@unm.<SPAN class=correction id="">edu</SPAN>><BR>To: College and University Technicians <caut@ptg.org><BR>Sent: Wed, 27 <SPAN class=correction id="">Apr</SPAN> 2005 12:20:03 -0600<BR>Subject: Re: [CAUT] International standard?<BR><BR>
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<DIV class=AOLPlainTextBody id=AOLMsgPart_0_9189e107-5d10-4973-b658-9345649e5db8><PRE><TT>I checked my bookshelf and found in <SPAN class=correction id="">McFerrin's</SPAN> The Piano - Its Acoustics the
following (p 152): "The pitch that has become standard is 440 Hz at 68
degrees <SPAN class=correction id="">Farenheit</SPAN> for <SPAN class=correction id="">A-49</SPAN>. This standard was chosen as the official pitch
to be recommended by the American Federation of Musicians in 1917. It was
adopted by the US government in 1920, by the Associated Music Industries in
1925, and by the International Conference on Pitch in London in 1939."
Doesn't say anything about that conference - who attended, what
countries were represented, etc. But I guess maybe 440 is law in the USA, if
this quote is to be believed. Nothing mentioned about a treaty. I'd guess
the PTG written test is a wee bit inaccurate in its answer to that question.
Somebody interpreted "conference" as "treaty."
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
On 4/27/05 12:10 PM, "Fred Sturm" <<A href="mailto:fssturm%40unm.edu">fssturm@unm.edu</A>> wrote:
>
> Which, of course, raises the question "What international treaty?" (the
> question Alan asked originally). I have never been able to find any
> specifics, and nobody I have asked has been able to point me to any.
> References in <SPAN class=correction id="">Swenson's</SPAN> article and elsewhere refer to it as an
> international conference, which could mean any number of things
> (musicologists? manufacturers?) Is this just a kind of popular belief among
> our membership (the international treaty statement), or is it true? In which
> case, is there some kind of documentation somewhere? Do any piano technician
> journals span that period around 1939? Anyone have access to them if they
> do?
> Regards,
> Fred Sturm
> University of New Mexico
>
>
>
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